Double Trouble
by Maiden of the Moon
Summary: Magdalene Order's seeing double! After a freak accident in the Elder's lab, Chrono's been split in two. But not only is his body divided- so is his heart. Will Rosette find a way to fix him, or will his feuding halves keep him torn until NY is no more?
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Chrono no mine. Waaaaaah. . . _

_Author's Note: Oh my God, it's a Chrono Crusade fic from me with a _**plot**_. Be still my heart. . . _

_Just some basic info first. This story will have (according to its outline) 10 chapters, plus an epilogue and this prologue. At the moment it will be rated T, but that could change to M. The main coupling is Rosette/Chrono and it will be a non-AU. Though things may seem OOC at times, there is a reason for it all. I promise. _

_Also, I have not given up on any of my other fics. And They Live Happily Ever After will be continuing as normal. But because it's close to being over, I thought I'd promptly start this one. XD_

_All that said, I seriously hope you enjoy. Because I'm sure as hell gonna. (;_

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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_Prologue_

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"So. . . What exactly _is_ this. . . ?" Father Remington leaned cautiously forward, poking his nose around the complex looking mechanism; hands clasped behind his back. Strands of shaggy golden hair falling against his smooth cheeks, he flashed a politely curious frown. "It certainly looks. . . uh. . . big."

Behind him, the Elder gave an unnaturally high-pitched snigger of delight. Twisting a few more cogs into place, he bestowed upon his invention a loving pat; admiring it from every angle. At a towering height of six and a half feet, the complex jumble of silver tubing made the contraption look more like a giant jungle gym than anything. But the metal pod in the center- large enough to fit two people- gave it away as some sort of machine, complete with shrill whistles and flashing red lights. "Yep! This baby's big! And for a good reason." He gave a slightly dramatic pause. "It can do BIG THINGS!"

Remington arched an eyebrow as he straightened, surveying the highly excited old man with an air of bewildered suspicion. "And. . . what exactly _does _it do?"

"I'm getting to that, my boy!" he chortled gleefully, fixing his small black hat over his mane of wild gray hair. "Patience is virtue!"

"I **know **that- we're still on a look out for an apostle with said virtue. . ." the man murmured under his breath, leaning casually against the stone wall. With a soft sigh he allowed his eyes to travel over the Elder's busy workshop, silently wondering what sort of secrets the rest of the wacky house held.

. . . Then again, with the Elder, it might be best not to know.

"All right! Perfect!" the scientist suddenly crooned, calling the minister's attention once more. Holding up a small remote with a certain degree of triumph, the man displayed a very toothy grin. "I have done it! I have created the perfect spying device!"

Again, the blonde chose to look respectfully puzzled. "Aren't spying devices supposed to be a bit. . . I don't know. . . smaller?"

"Ha! Your ignorance is an embarrassment!" the eccentric one snorted, petting the remote as if it were a woman's. . . yeah. "It just so happens that the epitome of all spying technology is right before your eyes! Behold and rejoice! I present to you- _The Doppelganger 1000!_" He gave a funny little bow, expecting his benefactor to clap.

Which Remington did.

Very slowly.

The Elder snapped an irritated glare upon the younger man. "What's wrong?"

"Uh. . .the thing is. . ." the other's blue pools narrowed slightly. "It's just. . . Well, what does it **do**?"

He growled. "Come on, boy- use your head! It says right in its name- a doppelganger is a sort of double. An exact replica of a person that only lasts a while. Using blessed tools and the holy powers of the church, I have created a machine that will take any field agent, copy them, and then make that copy disappear after 72 hours. Think about it! Spies that you don't have to worry about- they could be caught, tortured, poisoned, shot, scalped, or hung- it wouldn't matter! And in the meantime, the real agent can investigate less dangerous stuff."

Remington, however- despite the older man's very good sales pitch- didn't seem quite convinced. "Hmm. . . Yes, well, I'm not sure. I mean, how reliable are these clones? And are there any side effects? What sort of behav-"

"Quiet! I gave it my **seal of approval**! That means it's _perfect_!" the Elder snapped. "And I'll prove it to you using _this_!" He randomly pulled a piece of candy out of his coat pocket, waving it frantically (and deliberately) right under the minister's nose.

". . . You do that."

So the Elder fought through the complex mix of wires, cords, and other such junk until he made it to the large capsule- opening it with a press of a button and placing the sweet on the cushioned seat inside. Then he closed the lid with a loud snap, walked back over to Remington. . .

And pushed-

**X**

"Stupid! Stupid! _Stupid stupid stupid!_ What the hell was I _thinking?_"

Chrono groaned loudly, continually bashing his head against the Elder's front door. Cursing the warmth he felt coursing through his body, the devil tried fruitlessly to erase the very fresh memory that Rosette had carved into his brain. _Why _had he opened his mouth? _Why _had he asked her what was wrong? His cheeks flamed like twin fires when her words came rushing back to him, the same note of embarrassed fury detectible in the tone.

"_Chrono! Don't l- I said don't look! Turn around, dammit! Oh for Christ's sake. . . I can't believe I-" _

"Rosette! What's wrong? Why is your dress all stained? We haven't had any jobs toda-"

"CHRONO! Just shut up!"

"But Rosette! Your front is stained with-"

"ARGH! If it'll make you stop worrying, fine! Th- there's a. . .a time every month when. . . RRRGH! Go away!"

"_!"_

It was then that he had run from her raging form; his face flushed and his thirst for knowledge quenched. He was not a _complete _dolt, after all. He had instantly caught on to what she was saying. But. . . just the same. . .

It had never really hit him that Rosette would _ever . . . _menstruate. Since she usually covered the smell and blood so well, it hadn't once occur to him that his Rosette was- well- growing up. It didn't seem possible. _She was Rosette! _And in his mind, she was still just the little girl who had found him in Magdalene's tomb. A child. . . A friend. That's all she'd ever be to him. Right?

". . ."

Without realizing it, he had once again slipped back into the dreaded cycle of morals, fears, and guilt he'd been drowning in for months.

". . ."

_Right?_

". . . n- !" He bit his bottom lip, giving his noggin another sharp rap to stop that particular train of thought before it left the station. Then he closed his eyes, found the doorknob, and slowly twisted it open.

Yes, he decided monotonously, life sucked.

Stepping inside, he kicked off his shoes and closed the door behind him. . .

**X**

-the button.

**X**

. . . Just in time for the whole place to explode.

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_Mwahaha. . . And that's just a little taste of what's to come. I hope you're enjoying so far! Please review- and I promise to upload chapter one soon. XD Ja ne! _


	2. The Glue Factor

_Disclaimer: I wish. . . I wish SO badly. . . _

_Author's Note: Wow- thanks so much for all of the lovely reviews! XD I'm so happy that you're all enjoying so far. . . I hope you continue to do so! _

_Well, things are about to get a little complicated. . . So hold on to your- uh. . . Other halves. (;_

_Also- not everything will be explained in this chapter. More will be discussed **next chapter**. As Elder says, patience is virtue, loves. Heeheehee. . . _

_Enjoy. _

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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_Chapter One: The Glue Factor _

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Loud, strenuous coughing echoed through the now smoke-filled house, singe marks charred on the walls. Alarms sounded, bells rang, and multiple voices began choking out their confusion as one.

"What the hell was-? Crap! My magazines! Miss December, speak to me!"

"God almighty! My hair! My beautiful, beautiful hair! Was it burnt?"

"Do not use our Lord's name in vain, good sir!"

"Oh dear. . .clearly my hypothesis was established upon premature deductions. Perchance I misplaced a molecular synthesizer or two. . . dozen."

"SOMEONE- GET ME SOME SHAMPOO!"

"**_Jesus Christ_**!"

The racket stopped abruptly, four heads turning simultaneously to stare at the pair now bursting through the broken door frame, the smog fading into nothingness.

". . ."

A dozen eyes widened, their owners faces' slack in shock. Trembling fingers rose slowly, pointing at the others who filled the room; expressions of horror painted on each. "WHO THE HELL _ARE _YOU?" five of the three-turned-six screamed, backing into nearby corners in fright.

"Why, it seems that I am you!" the sixth spoke, his voice calmer than the rest. They whirled to face the mysterious speaker.

. . . It was Elder. At least, they _assumed _it was Elder. . . But if that was the case, then **who **was the identical man beside him? "And you are he-" he pointed to the matching blonde duo who hid, befuddled and hesitant, where the Doppelganger 1000 once gleamed, "-and you. . ." A frown tugged on the corners of his mouth, hand falling to his side. "Well, I'll be. . . This is most curious indeed. But, regardless, you are both the other as well."

At these words, the two Chronos who stood by the door exchanged glances- or, at least, attempted to. But it was rather hard to do that. . . when one was over three feet taller than the other.

**X**

"You **_WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!_**"

Sister Kate's scream rumbled ominously through the streets of New York, flocks of birds fleeing at the mere sound. Most of the men before her winced something terrible, feet shuffling guiltily; but the sixth simply cleaned his glasses off on his white lab coat and gave a patient smile, as if waiting for a child to get over a tantrum.

"Yes, yes, my dear sister. . . I realize my decisions were prematurely made and based solely upon my own- possibly inadequate- research, but I'm afraid what's done is done. There's nothing we can do about that now. Instead. . ." he placed his spectacles back upon his nose, pushing them so close to his eyes that they nearly disappeared into his sockets, "I offer you details about what happened and possible ways to solve this conundrum. So please, sit down."

The head nun, her nose flaring, snarled loudly; clenched hands shattering another pen. "ELDER _(-er- at least, I _think _that's who you are. . ._)! I cannot BELIEVE my EARS- or my **eyes**!" Breathing loudly, she surveyed the line of males in front of her desk: the duplicated Remingtons, the identical Elders, and (perhaps the most frightening of the group) both the sealed, child-like Chrono and the huge, Indian-warrior Sinner. The latter pair exchanged worried looks, hands grasping the empty space on their chests where the pocket watch used to hang. The younger one blushed brightly at a passing thought, making the other's brow furrow in perplexity.

"Yes. . .quite a sight, aren't we?" one Remington lightly chuckled, fear evaporating as Kate flopped weakly back into her seat. Sashaying a few feet closer, he rested himself gracefully against her desk; leaning foreword with bedroom eyes. "But I can show you a _better _one. . ."

Sister Kate's eyes nearly popped completely out of her head. "R-R-REMINGTON!" The minister dodged her flying wastepaper basket with ease, but the second Elder (who was very. . . busy. . . with his girly magazine) received a headfull of it.

"_Ow!_"

"Remington! Compose your doppelganger!" the first old man snapped, busily working at a recently propped up chalkboard- covering the green surface with white squiggly drawings. "I can't finish my diagrams without _complete silence_!"

The stern looking blonde glared at his counterpart, yanking him into a nearby corner to preach to him the wonders of the Bible, and the importance of the Commandments. (Especially the one concerning adultery.)

"Now, then," the only sane one continued after another moment of chalking up details, turning to face the small group with an air of superiority, "let me explain what happened." Stepping away from the blackboard, he proceeded to point out a few stick figures in turn. Big Chrono's tawny pools narrowed slightly, giving the chart a once over; his bony braid sharpening a bit as he began to run things over in his mind. The ruby orbed boy beside him seemed to want to ask his true form a question, but restrained when he noticed the warning expression on his face.

"I was presetting my new spying equipment to Remington with the hope of gaining approval for mass production and field agent use, however. . ." Elder sighed laboriously, adding three new stick figures to the picture with a long piece of white chalk. "Something went horribly wrong."

"No kidding," Kate bit out coldly, scooting a few feet away from Remington 2, who was sending her very suggestive looks, all while licking his lips.

"It seems that the cloning machine backfired and- while exploding- split everyone within that vicinity in two. Luckily, Chrono was smart enough to close the door after entering. He saved us a multitude of extra work."

The little devil, who had begun fiddling nervously with his violet plait, did not respond- so distracted he was by his thoughts. Instead, he flicked his gaze out the window.

The Sinner- who had before wanted to be ignored- growled at the blushing preteen.

"That's. . . that's all well and good," the head Sister gnashed her teeth, trying her very best to remain calm while the second minister ran a hand through his silky tresses, winking at her and inching closer. She instinctively kicked him. Or tried to, anyway, but the plan was ruined when he grabbed her foot and started to work her shoe off. "But that doesn't explain- _WOULD YOU STOP TRYING TO FEEL ME UP, REMINGTON?_"

"I'm over **here**!" the first priest retorted icily, engrossed in a rather spectacularly written Letter to Paul. "And might I add, _sinners _in this room, pay heed! For the **_all-smiting _**power of GOD will rain down upon thee-!"

"Keep me out of this!" the demonic devil huffed, rubbing his armor and black leather self-consciously.

"_Ah_, the behaviors, you mean?" the first Elder inquired good naturedly, vigorously erasing the board before drawing up a list. "Easily explained. You see, each person has a wide variety of personalities locked away inside them. Multiple persons, if you will, each representing an extreme side of that individual."

"Yes. . . ?" Kate prompted in a strained tone, sitting on the ends of her skirt in an attempt to keep the purring blonde from slipping unwanted fingers up her habit. "Go on!"

"So when the Doppelganger 1000 combusted, not only did it tear apart our bodies- it divided our personalities. While we are sharing the same consciousness- that is, one mind is controlling each half of us, though separately- we are acting passionately on the whims of the most radical sides of our beings. For example. . ." He drew two stick people with little crosses on their necks, writing 'REMINGTON' in big letters above it. "One of our new two Remingtons is this fine young fellow in the corner- a strict, pompous, very religious zealot."

The first Remington didn't acknowledge the hidden insult, only continued to rant on eternal damnation. No one listened.

"The second is, as you can plainly see, a flirtatious playboy." The inventor cheerfully indicated the second of the two, who was undoing the buttons of his front in a very sultry manner, trying his best to sneak under Sister Kate's desk. The nun was not amused.

"Seems more like a horny pervert to me. . ." Elder 2 sniggered, looking up from his playboy with a waggling eyebrow. "Good for you, my boy! Wanna share my centerfold?"

The man's double ignored them both, choosing instead to continue explaining- though he realized that Kate's attention was quickly slipping away. A fellow exorcist's wandering hands can do that. . . especially now that she had no where to scoot but out the window.

"In my own case, I've been divided between scientific genius-" pausing, he straightened his lapel snootily, "- and perverted jokester." He cast his other half a disgruntled look, eyes lingering a bit longer than they needed to on his clone's magazine. Clearing his throat, he grinned. "And Chrono. . ."

Both of the devils, who seemed to have been the only ones bothering to listen, straightened- waiting for an explanation over their new condition. However, rather than expanding, the gray haired male trailed off- coughing once and pressing onwards without mentioning the odd set again.

"In conclusion," he clapped, setting his chalk on a window ledge, "we've been torn at the seems genetically, but mentally we're the same. Because of this, we should be able to utilize the Glue Factor- copyright myself, of course- and everything will be satisfactory once more."

Sister Kate- who until seconds before had been beating Remington the Second away with a teapot- froze in confusion. "Glue Factor? And what is that?"

"An excellent question!" Elder cried happily. "The Glue Factor- simply put- is the one item, person, or place, that fuses our personalities together. The quirk that makes us who we are. The _thing_ that all of our parts react to in the same way, keeping us bound. If we can find a way for our individual Factors to stimulate us in the same way at the same time, then we should be able to unite. Understand?"

"Not really," little Chrono murmured, gently chewing his bottom lip. He turned his head slightly, staring out the window; an adorable pink flush forming on his chubby cheeks. His adult counterpart shot him another vicious stare, glaring as though trying to pierce through the child's mind. The boy didn't react.

"Well, then, let me show you!" the first inventor crooned, bounding across the room exuberantly and (as if thrilled that he now had an excuse) tore the centerfold away from his other. "Mwahahaa. . ."

"Oi!" the pervert pouted, quickly jumping up in order to see the picture again. "Let me have it ba-!" The moment he stood, the intelligent Elder moved- so that their bodies aliened perfectly.

_CRACK! _

A flash of light and sound filled the room.

When the old man moved- he was the only one left standing. His second was gone.

"!" The Sinner started, as did Sister Kate and both Remingtons. And during this instant of distraction, the sister took the opportunity to smash a particularly heavy dictionary over his head. He was out cold before he hit the floor.

". . ." Child Chrono shot the Elder a flat look. ". . . You really are a dirty old man through and through, aren't you?"

"Heck yeah!" he roared joyfully, displaying a proud "v" for victory.

Had he had any extra energy, the young demon would have face faulted.

"S. . .s. . .so. . ." Kate panted, sinking wearily back into her seat, "we just need to find the Glue Factors for Remington and Chrono. . . And things will be okay again?" 'Well,' she added mentally, 'as 'okay' as they ever are around here. . .'

"Precisely!" the inventor beamed, gathering up his magazine and stashing it under his arm. "And really, that won't be so hard to do. I can already make a very educated guess as to who _someone's _Factor will be. . ."

**X**

"Chrono? Chronooooooo? Geez, where in the world **_is _**he?" Rosette scowled in irritation, balling her fists against the base of her hips. Tilting her head and turning away from the bright noon sun, she surveyed the convent grounds with a worried air- cheeks still mildly tinged from embarrassment. "_Chrono!" _

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_Before ANYONE asks why Chrono is in his two forms and not just two little Chronos, let me say this (again)- IT WILL ALL BE EXPLAINED NEXT CHAPTER. As will a few. . . Other things. . . Bwahahaha. . ._


	3. Daffodils and Delusions

_Disclaimer: Oooo, I'm gonna cry now. . . TT _

Author's Note: Oh my goodness! Already over 40 reviews! Thank you so_ much you guys! You're spoiling me. . . (don't stop. (;) I hope you continue to have fun with this, because things are only going to get better from here. . . (Anyone _else_ think we should have the two Chronos engage in mud wresting? Anyone. . .? XD) _

_Please enjoy and R&R! _

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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_Chapter Two: Daffodils and Delusions _

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"_Chrono!_"

The muffled name filtered through Sister Kate's large glass windows curiously well, bouncing off the walls like an invisible ball. Both Chronos stiffened at the summon, as if that metaphorical play toy had whacked them upside the heads. Rosette wanted them. . .

So they needed to have been there five minutes ago.

Bolting to their feet so fast that their chairs tipped and crashed loudly to the ground, both devils began to head for the door- or, at least, attempted to. The head nun, it seemed, had different plans for them.

"And just WHERE do you THINK you're both going?"

Little Chrono and the Sinner- who had been subtly trying to surpass the other on the way to the exit- paused; snapping the woman slightly irritated looks from over their shoulders. "Yes?" both questioned- the child at least trying to feign politeness. The elder of the pair seemed in much more of a rush, however: protectiveness glittering in his sharp amber pools.

Kate took a surprised step backwards before quickly composing herself.

"We still have quite a few details to sort out," she reminded them coldly, shooting the taller of the two a particularly icy glare. "And I will not have any more disturbances in my convent! Having to deal with one sealed devil is enough, but a split one. . . !" A sigh escaped her, fatigued lashes fluttering closed. "Out of the question! Simply out of the que-!"

"They've already left," the Elder cut in, a grin detectable in his tone. Kate froze in disbelief, opening her eyes to find that, indeed, they had (somehow) managed to fight their way out the thick wooden barrier during the half second that she'd allowed her mind wander. The pen she'd grabbed subconsciously crumbled in her vice-like grip.

"He certainly _**is**_ fast," the second Remington piped up, drowning out the sister's scream of frustration. "But not as fast as _**I **_can be. . ." He winked suggestively. And in response she fell into her seat again, choking back another screech and burring her face in her hands- as the rest of the men turned, surprised.

("When did you wake up?" the inventor questioned, turning to his magazine's worn centerfold.

"A few minutes ago. I got a good look up her habit when she walked over me. Mmm_mmm_. . ."

The gray haired man clucked his tongue approvingly, ignoring the spurt of steam that shot out of Kate's ear. "Astonishing. If the Doppelganger 1000 had worked as it should, I'd hope that all of the clones would have been as sturdy as you. . . She had you out like a light, you know."

"Yes, well- I'm an astonishing guy. In more ways then one. (_wink)_"

". . . Let's keep the innuendo directed towards Sister Kate, shall we?"

"Oooo. . . Never fear! I have enough love to go around!"

The first Remington glanced up from his Bible, looking disgusted. "Yes, never fear," he mocked, "I'm fearing enough for _all_ of us, right now. For God and the Blessed Virgin are all looking down upon us at this very second, condemning us to eternal damnation for the use of such a blunt and disgusting crack at sodomy-!"

And he, once more, began to rant. . . and rant. . . and rant. . . and nobody listened. Just like during Sunday masses.)

"Why me. . . why now?" the head nun breathed helplessly, permitting herself a few more moments of weakness before straightening when a question struck her; the memory of the fleeing demons and her previous word choice reminding her of an early inquisition. "Why. . . why. . . why? Elder," she scowled darkly, puzzlement etched on her face. She chose to ignore the fighting "twins" beside her, who were tugging on opposite end of the Bible like it was some sort of lollypop meant to be shared. . . in this case, as a murder weapon. Ironic. "Elder, I need to ask for clarification on something."

"Oh?" the old man, who had been toning out the Remigntons after their earlier conversation as well (it was becoming eerily easier to do), glanced over the top of his periodical. "And what is that?"

"Chrono," she frowned, wheeling her chair around and pressing a solemn hand to the glass, watching Rosette as she fruitlessly ran across the gardens, looking for her devil. "Why is he the way he is? I mean, sure he's been divided, there's no question about that- but previously you were hesitant to group him into the same category as the father. . . s. . . and yourself. Why is that?"

He stiffened, rustling the glossy pages of his magazine; biting his bottom lip. "Well. . . now, how should I explain this. . . ? Hm." Standing, he sashayed over to the chalkboard and began to draw his infamous stick figures again (which, if it was at all possible, looked worse now than before). "I suppose," he began thoughtfully, eyeing his work- which included two "men" labeled REMINGTON, two ELDERS, and one short, one tall line baring the name CHRONO- "that the easiest way to start is to remind you that human bodies and demonic bodies are not built in exactly the same way. Sure, a devil as high up the ladder as Chrono has many human characteristics. . ." he doodled a few random fingers and toes and the boy's much-beloved pointed ears- ". . . but his body is, essentially, that of an entirely different species. Because of that, the _Doppelganger 1000_ affected him differently."

"How so?" Kate pressed, immensely glad that both priests were currently involved in a heated catfight. Remington 2 apparently didn't see the humor in having his hair yanked, and Remington 1 was having a hard time accepting his freshly-pressed robes being torn. . . And so they wrestled, grappled, and rolled across the floor- Kate simply lifting her feet to allow them passage when they tumbled through. "Besides the obvious, I mean."

The inventor grimaced a bit, brow furrowing as he turned away from his poor diagram. "Apart from the looks. . . it seems that- whereas the previous. . . myselves. . . and the currently split Remingtons have simply divided in two. . . that is to say, they're working on opposite extremes but still in some sort of contact with the same brain. . . that hasn't happened in Chrono's case."

"Meaning. . . ?" the woman pressed, flustered and worried. Elder blew out his cheeks, very serious.

"Meaning that, in essence, we now have two completely different devils living in our convent."

X

Rosette, having been extensively trained in exorcism and all of the skills necessary for surviving in such a profession, was abnormally slow when it came to realizing and processing what was going on around her. At least, when it came to low-pressure circumstances. For example, when Azmaria had thrown her a surprise party. And last April Fools, when the Elder had talked Chrono into chucking water balloons at her while still in her white nightgown. And just about every day, when someone ran up behind her and scared her out of her wits.

Like now.

"_ROSEEEEEETTE_!"

"Eeek!" the nun yelped, jumping in surprise when she felt a pair of warm arms wrap tightly around her middle; unannounced and unashamed. In fact, only a little winded if the panting was anything to go by. "Chrono! _Where were you?_ And **_don't_** **_do_** **_that_**!"

"Sorry, Rosette!" the demon chirped perkily, tightening the embrace he'd locked her into and sliding around her hips, their clothing rubbing together oddly as he repositioned himself in front of her- not once letting go. The girl flushed, her eyebrow giving an unnatural tick. 'What on Earth. . . ?' "I was really busy with a few idiots. . . But I'm here, now! What's going on?"

Staring flatly at the crown of his head, she struggled to find the words she'd suddenly lost. "Well, I was just. . .um. . . that is to say. . . **_would you let go of me!_**" the young woman cried, giving a few weak wiggles- her cheeks continually growing darker. In return, Chrono let out. . . was that a _purr_?

Speaking of the demon, why was he acting like he had covered his front with glue and had stuck himself upon her? And why was it that- if she stood still enough- she swore that she could feel his lips skim across the plane of her stomach in a way that she most certainly did _not_ condone? (. . . Well, that's what she wanted _him_ to think, anyway.) Her expression darkened, watching his childish face turn a joyous shade of pink; a wide grin shaping his mouth.

". . . !"

He squawked in shock as her fist met his skull.

"_Chronooooooooo_," she rumbled warningly, pealing him painfully away from her body (it took a lot more muscle than one would think, looking at him) and knuckling his noggin. "What in God's name are you DOING?"

"Owowowowowow! I was only giving you a hug! I'm sorry, Rosette! I thought you liked hugs- I didn't mean to make you mad! Please don't stay angry with me! I honestly didn't mean to! Please, Rosette. . . don't hate me. . ."

And then- in all of his demon glory-. . .Chrono began to wail. Cry and sob and weep gigantic crocodile tears that caught Rosette so totally off guard that she spent a few long moments simply gawking at him- fists motionless and pressed against his temples. His arms dropped limply to his sides soon after, knees buckling slightly; maroon orbs jammed shut as huge crystalline diamonds leaked out from underneath his eyelids- spilling down his chubby cheeks and splattering against the bright green grass.

Bipolar often?

"What th- oi, calm down!" She attempted to sound composed, but instead her voice came out panicked and shaky. In all of the years she'd know him, Chrono had never acted like this! Was he sick? Was he hurt? Had he finally snapped? Possible stories and worst-case scenarios pounded against her already tired brain, driving her to the brink of a mental breakdown. "Good lord, what has gotten INTO you?"

He snuffled, blinking his blurry rubies up at her. A hand made its way to his mouth, and he soon began gently gnawing his right index knuckle. "I. . . I just don't want you to despise me, Rosette. I know I'm a tainted devil, and that I'm the root of all of your problems, but I'm _just_ as good of a man as anyone else! But. . . but. . . but I'm afraid. . ." he whispered, lowering his gaze to his feet; voice becoming a forbidden, hushed whisper. "I'm afraid that I'll lose you, Rosette. . . Lose you to someone better or smarter or wiser. . . I don't think I could take that. If that were to happen, I don't think I could continue to live."

". . ." The nun was beginning to wonder if she'd forgotten to wake up this morning, because this was all sounding very much like a dream she'd had a few weeks ago. (Only Sister Kate had been hula hooping in the background and Satella had decided she was in love with Elder. A strange dream it had been. . . but not a bad one. If she ignored Kate and Satella and Elder, anyway.)

"And. . . and so. . ." the devil slowly lifted his chin, having collected him and placed on a mask of self assurance and hope. "And so I was. . . I was going to tell you, Rosette, that I. . . that I lo-!"

"_Rosette! Rooooseeeeette!_" Sister Claire's sweet tone cut through the increasingly tense scene like a knife- silencing the boy's next words and leaving Rosette to notice how close their faces had become.

"!" She pulled away quickly, blue eyes bulging. 'What the hell has gotten into me! Oooh, Chrono, you're gonna pay for this-!' "What is it?" she snapped loudly back, frustrated and oddly angry. Spinning on her heel, she noticed the younger sister waving from the open-air vestibule. Chrono peeped out from behind his Contractor, as if feeling strangely timid.

"Come on, it's time for our chores! You promised to help sweep out the church, today- remember?"

"I _didn't_! Mary said that Sister Kate had told her-!"

"Never mind, let's go!"

"But-!" the blonde began to protest, but quieted herself when she felt her devil brush her arm- a little more tenderly than he usually did.

"It's all right, Rosette," he beamed, still an adorable shade of light magenta. "I'll do it for you! We can talk later, okay? We should discuss this more privately, anyway. . . oh! And before I forget," he paused, twisting around mid-dash towards the other girls, "what's your favorite kind of flower?"

". . ." She started, jaw slack in shock. "Wh-?"

"Oo- forget it! I'll surprise you!" Chrono . . . sang. . . before racing blissfully off to join Mary, Claire, and Anna; who, having caught only the last part of the conversation, looked torn between amusement and surprise. The teasing- therefore- began the moment he was in earshot; but instead of rising to the bait, he pleasantly laughed it off- lost in dreamy musing.

. . . Scary.

Rosette stood there dumbly for a little while longer, trying to piece together what had just happened. It wasn't April Fools again, was it? She ticked off the days on her fingers. No. . . it was already May. . .

. . . **_So what the hell was that!_**

A prank, that was what. It _had_ to be.

And so- sure that she had been tricked and fuming because of it- the girl stalked furiously off, lip curled in disgust at how stupid she had acted. 'Ooo, I'm sure that moron Chrono and dumb Claire and Mary and Anna are all having a GREAT laugh at my idiocy right now. . .GREAT JOB, Rosette. . . I'm such a-!'

Completely lost in thought as she was, the girl didn't notice that she'd turned the stone corner in a blind rage- until she ran smack into someone's chest.

Someone's very shapely chest.

Someone's very shapely, muscular chest.

Someone's very shapely, muscular, warm chest.

Someone's very shapely, muscular, warm, BARE chest.

Backing away- her face hot as a flame- Rosette began to open her mouth to apologize. . . When she found herself staring into the amber pools of the last person in Heaven or Hell that she had expected.

Chrono.

In his Sinner form. (A little more frazzled and sweaty than usual, perhaps- it looked as if he'd run a marathon- but in his Sinner form no less.)

Upon noticing her taken aback and disorientated appearance, the devil's lifeless expression melted into a warm smile. "Thank goodness!" he breathed in utmost and unmistakable relief, crouching down so that they were at eye level. "I was so worried about you, Rosette! I was _sure_ that bastard would have tried to do something to you!"

Reaching out a callused- and yet very gentle- hand, he trailed his fingers carefully down her blanched face and shoulders, as if testing to make sure she wasn't broken. His search was meticulous and unabashed, no embarrassment or shame in his eyes when he ran his hands very close to what many would consider the "danger zone".

Then he frowned.

"Rosette," he murmured, anxious- catching her attention while his jeweled forehead glittered in the sun. "You're as white as a ghost- your knees are shaking! That horrendous _child_ didn't hurt you, did he?" His wings flared at the thought, a growl escaping him.

". . ." Rosette didn't answer. She was too busy fumbling for her pocket watch; yanking it close to her eyes so that she could examine it. And when she _did_ examine it, she noticed that something wasn't right- it wasn't moving any faster. Not that that was a bad thing, but- but why wasn't it reacting to his metamorphosis? Here was Chrono, right in front of her, in his true form! She should be on her knees panting right now!

And while she was on the subject of Chrono, why the heck was he here? Wasn't he with the other sisters cleaning th-?

"Rosette! Rosette!"

The demon beside her hissed and straightened, bony braid sharpening; instinctively pulling the exorcist close. Rosette was in such a state of stunned bewilderment that she couldn't have formed a protest if she had wanted to.

And if she was pale and shocked before, it was nothing to what she felt. . .

When she saw _him_- Chrono, only **little** again- running towards her from the church with his arms full of freshly picked daffodils, a cheerful grin on his face until he noticed. . . himself.

Then he glared, doing another emotional 180.

"You!" they snarled in unison, ferociously baring teeth and talons.

It was then that the oncoming breakdown hit Rosette at full speed- and her world went black.

**X **

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_There was a question in a review for last chapter that I forgot to address in the above authors note, so let's do it down here, shall we? (: _

_  
Q: Huh. . . interesting. So is the Glue Factor and the Doppelganger 1000 and stuff all your original idea, or were you inspired by something/someone else? _

_A: Nope- I'm proud to say that they were all my original ideas. But if you're interested in inspiration, here you go- _

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 'DOUBLE TROUBLE' FIC:

I got this idea while watching a musical group on Saturday Night Live. . . Green Day or something, I think. Not sure. Anyway, while I was listening and they were going on about having to "travel the road of life alone" (it was a pretty good song) I suddenly got this parody image of Rosette tripping on a road like that. . . which made me think of joking around with 'double vision' ("Ooo, Chrono. . . I didn't know you had a twin. . ." kind of thing) which then_ lead to the initial idea for this fic. (Yes, my mind travels very, very fast from point A to point L. I've got a really funny one from where I went from Roadkill Raccoon to Veronica and Logan from Veronica Mars making out in less than two seconds. That was an interesting chain of thought, that was. . .) I actually have my note for the _**very original**_ story line right here (I just jotted it uber quick down on a piece of random scrap of paper)- doodled notes and all: _

"Rosette bumps her head (or something) and it has her seeing double- both child & adult Chrono. (They really split?) Which will she chose? (Is it a trick? When will they be one again?)"

_Of course, a plot like that is FULL of holes. For example- come on, _she **bumps** her **head**_? She must have **seriously** damaged her brain for Chrono to remain split after that. It made more sense, then, that something happened to _Chrono_, which is where the Doppelganger machine comes in. (Personally, I don't think the machine in and of itself was all that creative- but that's all right, it was just a plot device. (;) After that, I started to play with the idea of how this machine screws things sideways. Well, Chrono lives around the Elder's house, right? So why not have it be one of the Elder's malfunctioning inventions? _

_That worked well enough. . . but where was the Elder when it combusted? It wouldn't have blown up by itself, so he must have been there. And why would he be fiddling with it if he already thought it was perfect? So I threw in Remginton, too, to give Elder a reason to be trying to make it work. And if Chrono was split, it wouldn't make sense for them NOT to be. So that's how they all ended up doubled. As for the Glue Factor- well, I needed some way to put them back together, and so the idea just sort of fell into place. _

_I won't go into any details about each Chrono as of yet, because I don't want to spoil the story- but let me tell you, it was hard to cleanly wrap this fic up, just because of what each Chrono represents. I went through about three outlines before I came up with an ending that made me happy. So I hope it makes everyone else happy, too! _

END OF HISTORY. . . FOR NOW. _(Depending on if anyone wants to know anymore. . .)_

_Whew! And now, after that long and pretty pointless bit on the past of this fic, I bid you farewell! Good night, my loves, good night!_


	4. How Do I Love Thee?

_Disclaimer: BLEGH! _

Author's Note: I still cannot believe how many reviews I'm getting for this. It makes me so happy! XD (begins to do the happy dance. . . but stops when she notices the people screaming and running away.)

_Anyway, THIS chapter- things are gonna get GOOD. Well, interesting, at least. And a little more info (actually, kind of a LOT more, if you think about it) on the two Chronos is revealed! Woooooooo. . . _

_Sorry it took so long to update, BTW. It took a while to write, 'cause it's so long. XD _

_Please enjoy and R&R! _

**X **

X

X

DOUBLE TROUBLE

X

_Chapter Three: How Do I Love Thee. . . ?_

X

X

X

". . . sette. . . ?"

She could hear it. . . faintly, but it was there. Something- someone- calling to her, chipping steadily away at the foggy nothingness surrounding her weary brain. It faded. . . but then, a few moments of later, returned- just as hushed, but stronger than before.

". . . osette? Rosette. . . ?"

Out of the crumbling darkness came a blurry, colored light- silhouettes and blackened figures swimming as her hazy vision cleared. A lead-heavy hand fell across her hot, moist forehead; impatiently pushing golden bangs out of the way. She felt a groan escape her lips.

. . . .Where was she?

"Rosette! Rosette! Are you awake?"

Her brow crinkled in recognition, registering the worried tones of the speaking person. What was going on. . . ? "Ch. . . Chrono. . . ?" Rosette slurred, voice cracking. The fingers she'd placed upon her own forehead gave a slight twitch. Then she cleared her throat, annoyed, before blinking rapidly- gingerly sitting up.

Well, trying to, anyway.

Her dangerously swaying torso kept her from moving too fast; head whirling unnaturally. She felt like she was falling through space. . . despite the fact that the spots and stars _did_ eventually fade from view. However, the gradual rate at which they did so kept her from fully processing where she was and whom she was with. Not good.

Still, even with this factor working against her, it didn't take the girl long to notice that she was directly below the relieved face of the previously stricken devil- his maroon eyes wide with fear and his thin eyebrows knitted together. But as soon as she'd proved to him that yes, indeed, she was still alive, he beamed.

"Rosette!" he gleefully exclaimed, throwing himself unexpectedly upon her chest- hugging her tightly around the middle and sending her back against the pillows with a 'fwump!'. "Finally! You're all right!"

And he began to nuzzle her.

"?" The exorcist frowned at this strange display of affection, but- seeing as her limbs were too numb to do much about it- she let it slide. This once. Besides, she still felt sort of woozy. . . "Sorry, Chrono. . . I was having the strangest dream. You were in it, and so was your other form and- wow, it was just tot- ally. . . scr. . .ewed. . . up. . . and. . . uh. . . Chrono. . . ?"

Rosette blinked dumbly, biting back the urge to clutch her head to keep it from continuing to spin- as it surly must have been doing at that moment. "Chrono, wha. . . what is THAT?" Lifting a shaking finger, she pointed to her left.

'THAT' scowled, insulted. "What're you talking about, Rosette?" the Sinner asked calmly, sitting beside her on a stiff wooden chair. His clawed fingers were buried in the child's vibrant red coat, working to yank him back. (The result of this attempt was a loud ripping sound.) "I'm Chrono!"

"Oh, dry up!" the violet haired demon snarled, shooting his other a malicious glare over his shoulder- eyes narrowed like a cat's. "You don't even _look_ like me!"

"Like shit!" the adult snarled, canines sharpening in the light. The little one's teeth did the same, a growl rumbling through his chest. And it was the feel of it reverberating against her own that snapped the nun out of her stunned stupor.

Her chest swelled.

"_CHRONOOOOOOOOOO!"_ she screeched, causing both devils to freeze in fear. "WHAT THE **HELL** IS GOING ON?"

"Ah, a very good question, my dear!"

"!"

All three twisted at the sound of Elder's voice, sealed Chrono still clinging to Rosette like she were his only life line. Which she might have been. . . seeing as how true-form Chrono had let to loosen his grasp on the kid's jacket.

"Sister Rosette," Kate smiled (or, at least, attempted to- but she was rather busy kicking at an annoyance underneath her habit), "I'm glad to see you're fina- IF YOU DON'T REMOVE YOUR FILTHY FEET FROM UNDERNEATH MY DRESS, REMINGTON, I'LL KILL YOU!"

A male politely cleared his throat. "Thou shall not kill, my dear sis-!"

"SILENCE- OR I'LL KILL YOU, TOO!" the woman stormed, lifting the flaps of her outfit just enough to reveal a traveling foot- one running suggestively up and down her shin as she walked. It was actually quite remarkable that the owner of the foot could walk and play vertical footsie simultaneously. Elder made a mental note to later ask how the tainted minister had accomplished such an amazing task.

Rosette, back again in her stupor, felt her jaw drop fifty eight stories. (Give or take an exaggeration or two.)

"Good lord," the Sinner sighed laboriously, sounding highly bothered, "haven't you gotten those two fools back together, yet?"

"What does it LOOK like?" the head sister inquired through gnashing teeth. Smartly, she rammed the heel of her foot into the lustful priest's. Behind her, one of the matching Remingtons winced.

"It looks like you've got a bunch of Remington stuck to your back!" little Chrono laughed.

"Better than poor Rosette- with a bunch of brat stuck to her front," Remington two retorted coldly, now limping. The Sinner snickered in agreement.

And all the while, the pitiable teen exorcist stared flatly at the insanity around her- completely nonplussed. Yes, Rosette was, again, far gone. So far gone, in fact, that she didn't even notice the Elder when he placed a tray of food before her, fresh and warm and ready for snarfing. And that- for her- was very, very far gone. It was even beginning to look like she was going to stay that way-

_Creeeeeek. . ._

Until, suddenly, she felt her mattress sink a bit. Starting in surprise, Rosette turned her head to find herself staring into the shocking cornflower eyes of Remington. Number two, incidentally.

"Are you feeling any better, pet. . . ?" he murmured smoothly, reaching down and gently covering her hand in his own. "Or would you enjoy some of my own. . . _personal_. . . therapeutic treatments. . . ?" Bending her arm at the elbow (for Chrono's limbs were still tight around her center, binding her forearms to her sides), the minister lowered his head and placed an urbane kiss upon it-

Before (in less than a second) finding himself, winded, on the ground- playing cushion for two seething devils; each set of eyes glowing blood red.

He gulped loudly, wondering what in hell's name had just happened.

"DON'T YOU _TOUCH_ HER, YOU SCUM!" the smaller one raged, talons and ears lengthening; fangs pointed and glimmering in the dim room's light. "DON'T _TOUCH_ HER, DON'T _BREATHE_ ON HER, DON'T EVEN _LOOK_ AT HER!" He snarled, animalistic, before beginning to close the space between their bodies (and not in the way Remington 2 would have liked).

But, before he had the chance to take even one swipe, the sealed devil was hoisted into the air by the throat and tossed carelessly aside by his twin- similar to chucking a ferocious rag doll. The man swallowed loudly once more: for though the elder demon appeared much calmer, he most certainly did not look any more forgiving.

In the background, the child stirred from his temporary state of dazed pain; scrambled back to his Contractor. Sitting beside her and encasing her in his embrace, he began petting her head with one hand while growling possessively. Rosette, still in a strange sort of brain-dead trance, did not reply. She was still busy trying to soak in the sight before her without screaming.

"I do not _ever_," the Sinner whispered venomously, twisting his long, sharp fingers around the blonde's neck- lifting him slowly into the air and pinning him against the wall, "_EVER_ want to hear that you have touched Rosette again. Or else. . . you will pay." His eyes flashed. In that moment, it was quite clear how he had earned the title 'Sinner'. "Do you understand me, Father? I said: **_do you understand?_**"

The doppelganger, who's face was steadily turning blue, nodded weakly; vainly clawing at the strong hand cutting off his oxygen supply.

". . . Hmph." Big Chrono snorted and thrust him aside, returning to his seat beside the girl. As he reapplied his hold on his other's shirt (much to the child's displeasure), he released a sound that plainly stated: _This conversation is over. _

No one spoke for a few minutes. Possibly because the whole situation seemed surreal. For the umpteenth time in not so very long, Rosette began to wonder whether or not she'd remembered to wake up this morning.

". . . Rosette. . . ?" the ruby eyed demon then spoke quietly, voice returning to its lulling gentle sweetness. "Rosette, are you still awake? Are you still okay?"

The nun nodded blankly, not really hearing him.

"Sister Rosette," the girl's boss murmured benignly, taking Remington the Second's empty seat on the bed with a nervous air- as if expecting the demons to lash out at her, too. But though they watched her carefully while approaching, they did not say or do anything. A promising sign. "Sister Rosette, I know this is hard to accept- _I_ had a hard time believing, too. But we need for you to fight off this coma so that we can talk about the situation and determine a route of correction. So please-" she reached out, wrapping her right arm around the girl's neck . . .

And applying her infamous chokehold, "-snap out of it!"

"!"

Both Chronos stiffened at this barbaric method of awakening their tamer, but- out of respect for the Magdalene Leader- fought off the urge to kill her. Which went very much appreciated on her part.

". . . uh. . . _uh. . . Uh! Oh- ow!_ OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!" Straightening with a panicked expression on her face, the nun began floundering wildly- _almost_ managing to throw off little Chrono and Sister Kate. Almost, but not quite. She did manage to kick her food to the floor, though. "CURSE IT- LET GO OF ME!"

"Rosette!" sealed Chrono sang exuberantly, whole body shaking as Rosette continued to throw her fit. "You're really okay, now! Yea!"

The blonde screamed in response, still thrashing madly. Kate, (after nearly losing a few teeth to the girl's flying fist), loosened her hold, allowing the taller devil her seat on the mattress. The Sinner wasted no time in pressing his hand to Rosette's gaping mouth, already fighting off a head ache. Rosette spluttered, moving to rip his palm away, but found that he was too strong for her.

And so she surrendered, falling deathly silent; eyes darting from the demon on her left to the demon on her right; cheeks pale and eyes wide with a strange sort of bewildered fear. A few long moments ticked by. . .

Then the exorcist swallowed loudly; growing weak in the restraining grip of the Chronos. Her trembling lips parted. ". . . Wh. . . what in all that is holy is _going **on** here?_"

**X**

". . .And that," Elder finished grandly, slapping the chalk dust from his hands, "is all there is to it!" He grinned widely at the flabbergasted girl in the hospital bed, wiping his portable blackboard clean. ". . . except for the fact that- for the first time in eighteen years!- I need new chalk."

Rosette did not respond. Instead, she only continued to stare blankly into space. She seemed so. . . so. . . _not Rosett_e. Which, in all honesty, was frightening. Kate shot her a worried glance, ignoring the Remingtons as they debated heatedly in the corner; once more arguing over who got to slap who with the Bible. (Neither seemed very keen to join in the conversation after what the two devils had done.)

Finally, the blue eyed sister cleared her throat. "So. . ." she started slowly, voice cracking, "what you're saying is that the Elder, as usual, screwed things sideways. . . and now I've got Chrono 1 and Chrono 2 to deal with?"

"W- hey! No, that's not it at all! Rosette, you _hurt_ this poor-! Er. . . neve rmind. . ." The old man cut his complaints off when Sister Kate's fingers snaking around his neck, applying a warning squeeze.

"Exactly, Sister Rosette," Kate replied in soothing tones; trying to help the shaken girl relax. It was like attempting to coax a cat into water. . . "It doesn't seem to be draining your Astral energy or hurting you in any other way- nor Chrono, for that matter. Everything will go back to normal soon- just after we learn how to apply his Glue Factor."

"Which you think is _me. . ._" the girl drawled rather sarcastically, face as clammy as ever. She chose to ignore the whimper of worry and the snuggling of the child who was still dangling from her like an oversized necklace.

"Correct."

"Mm. Riiiiight," she murmured, sounding nothing less than skeptical. "Well, that's great and all, but I don't exactly get how I'm supposed to know when to. . . to. . . squish them back again." Her grip on her sheets had yet to loosen; knuckles ashen.

"Don't worry, my dear," Elder soothed, forgetting about the insults done to his character moments before. "You don't need to know. It'll just _happen_."

". . ." Rosette sighed, falling against her cushions as best she could with the two devils (even now) clinging desperately to her. "Great. Juuuuust great."

"Isn't it, though?" little Chrono squealed happily, his cheeks an ecstatic cherry red. The nun doubted he'd even been paying attention. "We can spend even more time together!"

(". . . Is that even possible?" Kate mumbled to no one in particular, mildly exasperated.)

Big Chrono scowled at his smaller counterpart, "accidentally" pushing his claws painfully into his other's lower back. "I'll be around, too," he reminded coldly, electric sparks crackling as the pair exchanged glances.

Rosette groaned, closing her eyes.

It was going to be a fricken' long. . . whatever this charade amounted to.

**X**

"Rosette?"

The addressed girl gave a jerk, dropping the gun she'd been polishing into her lap. "Wha-? Oh. . ." she smiled, looking up from her hospital bed. "Azmaria. Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry," the apostle beamed, poking her head around the door and grinning before letting herself into the room, holding a new silver tray. "But I thought you might be hungry. I heard you spilt all over the floor earlier."

"Mmm. Well, can you blame me?" Rosette grumbled, thankfully accepting the dishes Az presented her with. "I just found out that Chrono's been torn in half, dammit! That's not one of those things you expect to happen. . . ever!"

Azmaria laughed blithely, daintily seating herself upon the chair beside the bed. "No," she replied softly, clucking her tongue, "I suppose you don't."

"You don't seem too phased by it."

The younger shrugged her small shoulders while smoothing out her dress's pleats. "I don't know. I guess I'm just used to. . . unexpected things happening." Her feet began to sway in a slow rhythm, fixing her hands underneath her thighs. "It all averages out, though. Half of the first and second class exorcists didn't seem to care, either. Said they expected something weird like this to happen any day now, knowing the Elder. But most of the other sisters had the same reaction as you. . . just on a smaller scale. I hear Sister Claire actually blacked out for a few minutes when Sinner Chrono swooped past. She collapsed right into a pile of dirty laundry! And I think the sight of Little and Big Chrono fighting in the mud out back caught more than a few wandering eyes."

Rosette, who had been (almost happily) inhaling her chicken broth and buns, began to choke. "W-w-wrestling?" she gagged, pounding her own chest with her fist. "What the heck-?"

Again, Az shrugged. "All I heard was that they were yelling and screaming and saying your name a lot- and then transformed Chrono pushed sealed Chrono, who landed in a nearby mud puddle. Of course, he couldn't take that lying down, so. . ." she trailed off, rosy gaze brushing over the nearby window. "Last I heard they were still rolling in the muck. Things were getting pretty messy. . . But I have to admit, I'm a little confused." The apostle girl straightened in her seat, pulling her legs to her chest and rocking back and forth in place. "Why are they so nasty to one another? I mean, they're perfect gentlemen to everyone else. . . mostly. What's the point in being your own enemy?"

". . ." To this, Rosette could say nothing. And the question relentlessly echoed through her mind long after Azmaria said good night.

**X**

It had taken well over 4 hours, but ultimately the alarmed convent began to calm down; sure that neither devil meant any harm to anyone but his other half. Which, everyone agreed, was quite odd- but no one pressed it in fear of facing their wrath. (The story of the injured Remington spread through the halls just as fast as the now infamous Demon Mud Wrestling . . . event. . . An event that had attracted quite a few people while running. In fact, an alarmingly high number of nuns were dreadfully depressed when Sister Kate had broken them up.)

But, nonetheless, temporary peace did come- blanketing thickly over the many corridors, grounds, and rooms like a sleepy fog- as a violet twilight dimmed the extensive skies; a sprinkling of stars brightening the darkness of the moonless night.

And that was when he came.

"R. . .Rosette. . . ?"

Rosette, who- to the amazement of all- was reading a book, looked up in mild surprise when the sealed form of her partner timidly knock on the door; tresses limp and unbraided, clothes clinging to his body, and moist face shining with tears. In his arms he held a bouquet of columbine.

His Contractor blinked, both surprised to see him and startled to find him without the Sinner in toe. Perhaps he'd tied him to a tree? "Oh. . . uh, hi," she replied, unsure; placing a bookmark in her novel. Setting it on her bedside table, she twirled a random lock of her hair. "Huh- I thought you were supposed to be all dirty from your fight."

"Showered," he answered simply, quaking; wide, ruby-colored pools filling with sadness. "I. . . I just wanted to say. . . I'm sorry, Rosette!" he blubbered, bursting into silent sobs as his whole body shook with misery. Bounding towards her, he stuffed the flowers into her arms; oblivious to her stunned expression. "I am so, _so_ sorry! I didn't know you were allergic to daffodils!"

". . ."

The words echoed strangely off the stone walls, humorous- and yet- pathetic all at once. '_Allergic to daffodils. . . daffodils. . .dils. . .'_

Rosette's brow furrowed, displaying her bafflement. ". . . **What?**"

He met her puzzled stare with a guilty one of his own, tears trickling down his face and splattering on her comforter. "Well, yeah," he whispered, voice strained in agony. "You fainted dead away as soon as you saw them, after all. . ."

". . ." An incensed vein gave a throb on her forehead, but she was too tired to do anything about it; much less waste the energy to correct him. Instead, she blew out her cheeks and pushed her aggravation to one side. "Chrono," she murmured gently, attempting to pacify his distressed mind. "It wasn't your fault. . . It's okay. And hey-" A small smile lighting her features, she tilted his chin so that their eyes locked in the star glow; stray flecks of salty moisture making his flesh glitter, "-don't stress so much. If you act too worried, Mary and Anna might start rumors about us again."

Chrono grinned silently in return, resting his forehead against her fingers; wrapping his own around them. He looked so content, so grateful. . . "Act too worried. . . ?" he repeated soundlessly, locks of silken hair spilling over his shoulders and falling around them in moist curtains. "Don't be stupid." The reprimand was pressed into her skin, words flowing from his mouth in an almost sultry whisper. Eyes fluttering to a half lidded state, he reached across the expanse of drooping blossoms and cupped the girl's cheek- propping himself up so that they could rest their foreheads together.

Within an instant Rosette's whole body was a heated shade of maroon. "C. . .Ch. . . ?"

"Shh," he breathed, allowing his thumb to dance tenderly across her mouth. The girl was unable to quell a shiver at the sensation- despite the fact that her mind screamed: _WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?_ "I told you, don't be stupid," he chuckled kindly, all traces of 'frighten child' having disappeared without a trace. He really was bipolar, in this form. "I don't care what you or anyone else says. Of course I'm going to worry about you, Rosette. Sometimes all I do is worry. . . worry about your welfare, your future, your. . . well, your everything. And no matter what you say I'm _always_ going to worry because. . ." -he leaned closer, their noses brushing- "because. . ." –he caught and correctly interpreted the meaning behind her wide eyes and smiled slightly, shifting his face half an inch so that his lips would fall against her cheekbone- "because _I love you_."

**X**

Rosette was beginning to wonder how much more her poor heart could take. Panting laboriously as she lowered the novel in her hands, she stared down her nose at the chuckling Chrono- who was now clutching a horribly lumped noggin with a patient sort of smile on his face.

"I'm sorry," he apologized after a moment of laughter, still as perky as ever, "I guess I went a little too far? I should have known you'd have preferred more warning before I kissed you."

The nun- face white, fingers quivering, tears sparkling in the corners of her eyes- lifted the book a bit higher, preparing to strike again. "Ch-ro-nooooo. . . !" she ground out, her ears a flaming shade of fusha, "The joke is over! Do you hear me? OVER! And I don't EVER want to hear lies like that coming from you again, GOT IT?" Her whole body shook with the force of her words- fury only intensifying at the devil's nonchalant air. _How DARE he treat her this way. . . ! _

"But Rosette," he cocked his head, reaching towards her unsteady fists and placing a firm hand upon the book, keeping it at an arm's length away, "it would be a _lie_ to take it back."

". . ." Her arms fell weakly to her sides, too confused to argue. 'This is what people should be trained for,' she thought bitterly, staring into the child's beaming face. 'Not ridding broom cupboards of poltergeists.'

After a drawn out silence, Chrono exhaled softly- making both his and her bangs rustle. "Look," he then soothed, offering her a very gentle, understanding expression, "I know this is sudden. Why don't you let this sink in, and I'll talk to you again tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded mutely, her throat as dry as a desert.

A grin tugged on his mouth. "Excellent." Standing in one fluid movement, he turned the girl's head with his palm. Then, leaning foreword, he whispered into her ear: ". . . I'm going to kiss you, now. All right?"

She froze, calling forth his airy chortle again. "Don't worry," he teased kindly, brushing his fingertips masterfully under her chin, savoring her ticklish squirm. "Only on the cheek."

Which he did- just as he announced he would: lingering, promising, loving and warm- but only on her cheek. Rosette felt her heart flutter, pulse quickening as an unfamiliar bout of suppressed joy flooded her senses. This was. . . was. . . indescribable. She found herself trying to memorize the feel of his feather-light touch, unable to use words to give the sensation justice. But it _did_ seem that her stomach had twisting into knots. She clutched it involuntarily, a bit woozy. . . . Desperate for the phenomenon to continue.

Then. . . just as suddenly as it had begun-

"Heh."

It was over. The nun shivered back to complete alertness at the sound of the boy's serene voice- playful and tender and sincere. "Thank you for listening to me, Rosette. I'll go, now. . . sweet dreams."

"H- wha- ?" she stumbled, straightening in bed. His sudden desire to leave surprised her, making her falter and toyed with her mind. 'Wait a minute- That's _it_?' Now he **left**? How was she to respond to that?

. . . She should have read more romance novels while growing up. Oh well. Too late now. . ."Uh. . . Y-y-yeah. . ." she decided on, giggling shakily. "Er. . . 'night, Chrono."

He smiled. And with that, Chrono was gone- leaving the girl alone with her book and the scattered columbine that concealing her quilt.

At least, for a few minutes. Until she heard the noise.

**X**

"_A-hem._"

If it were possible to jump a mile, Rosette would have done so. But because that was physically unachievable she did the next best thing: gave a nasty jolt and whipped towards the window, fingers clenching her blanket and a few flower stalks. "Wh-? Chrono!"

And it was. Sitting in the gloom by the glass; perched gracefully on the stone ledge. His eyes flashed in the starlight, muscular form an amazing assortment of clashed shadows and glaring highlights in the darkness.

"I was beginning to think he'd never leave. . ." he rumbled, sounding aggravated. But his gaze softened upon noticing Rosette's stunned appearance, a snort of amusement escaping him. "My apologizes," he grinned, the amber gems lining his cheekbone flashing. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Well, what _did_ you think you were going to do- hiding in the corner like you are?" the sister snapped, glad that her heart was finally beating properly again. (It was probably the first time in a day, now that she thought about it.) "Geez! You almost gave me a heart attack and- wait. Wait a second- how did you _get_ there, anyway?" She glared, suspicious. He sniggered.

"That's my secret," he whispered, winking. Pushing gracefully to his feet, he glided towards her- sticking out his tongue mischievously. "And you'll never be able to force it out of me."

She tried to laugh but found she was simply too tired from the excitement of the past 12 hours. So instead she simply smiled, watching him warily as he seated himself in the bedside chair, crossing his arms and lacing his fingers together regally.

They sat there like that for what seemed forever, the Sinner's beam slowly fading away. ". . . Rosette?" he eventually breathed, a glimmer of concern marring his hansom features. "Rosette, are you feeling all right? You aren't looking well at all- your cheeks are flushed and your face is all sweaty. Your hands are shaking, too!" His huge, warm palms covered her entire fist in a fluid movement, forcing her to lock gazes with the worried demon before her. "Do you need anything? Anything at all? I'll get you water, if you want, or cider or milk. Perhaps some dry toast or broth? I've heard they both help a sick patient."

The exorcist jerkily shook her head no, forcing an appreciative grin to mutate her mouth. "No. I- I'm really fine, Chrono. Just a little tired and. . . well, still in a bit of shock, to tell you the truth. But I'll be better in the morning, I'm sure. . ." Sinking weakly into the pile of pillows behind her head, Rosette released a pent up groan. "I just wish I was sleepy. My body feels so heavy, but my head won't shut up and let me sleep!" She let out a bark of frustrated laughter. "Stupid, huh?"

Chrono smiled understandingly, leaning comfortably back into his chair. "Would you like me to help?"

". . ." Rosette frowned slightly, shooting him a cautious glare- as if nervous that he'd try to kiss her, too. (Call her a hypocrite, but despite how much she'd secretly enjoyed the first kiss, it wasn't something she wanted happening to her on a regular basis without her consent.) He 'humphed,' sounding offended.

"Don't look at me like that- I'm not as lecherous as that damned _child_."

The girl relaxed a bit, but not before muttering under her breath, "I wouldn't call him _lecherous. . ._" Though why in God's name she was allowing herself to defend him, she wasn't sure. (Well, okay, she _was_, but even after that she still. . . still didn't want. . . oh, forget it!)

Big Chrono tilted his head slightly, mildly intrigued (and disgruntled) by her sudden rush to 'the brat's' defense, but brushed it off. "What I was _going_ to say," he continued, returning to sounding good natured and warm; his normally sonorous voice low and affectionate- filling the room with an unusual sort of calm, "was that I could tell you a story." He chuckled, delighted by her surprise. "I still remember your favorites, you know."

"Huh. . . ? Chrono," Rosette's began, unable to mask her puzzlement, "you haven't told me stories since I was 12! Why're you. . . ?"

His expression fell instantly. "Oh. . . oh, I see. I'm sorry. . ." he muttered, sounding dejected, "don't you want me to-?"

"No! It's not _that_, it's just. . . uh. . . well. . ." What _was_ it? In her heart she knew that she had missed the endless supply of bedtime myths, legends, and fables that had kept her childhood wrapped in an endless gauze of mystery. But at the same time, his sudden desire to- well- _coddle_ her, was a little. . .

Insulting.

Still. . . by the same token. . .

Rosette pursed her lips, nibbling the end of her tongue. She hadn't _really_ enjoyed a good tale for over four years. And his growing smile was so inviting. . .

"Um. . . okay," she heard herself agreeing quietly before she could stop the words from coming. "Maybe. . . just one."

His grin widened, expression softening- whole body gleaming in the wine-colored glow of the night. "Very well. There was once, in a past so ancient that only the sea knows the full story, a young woman who was in love with a young man. But though their hearts were as close as flower petals, their lives were as different as the sun and the moon. For she was a fairy, the Guardian of Wind, and he was a mortal, low even in the eyes of other humans. . ."

So the familiar story of Windy Girl began, the favorite of her youth. Every inflection, every gesture, every voice, and every word the same as she remembered. The characters were just as beautiful, the flow of action just as seamless, the ending just as tearful. How did he remember all of her favorite lines, which words she wanted emphasized and which expression tugged the hardest on her heartstrings? How? She must have told him once, but. . .

. . .Oh- Did it really matter?

Nah.

She'd savor every moment of it of it, anyway.

. . . Yet something was plaguing her, deep in the dark recesses of her fogging mind. Oh, it was getting harder to think. . . her eyelids were growing heavy.

". . . they embraced for the last time in the sunset, his final breath leaving in a rush like the breeze she controlled. In that moment, her heart broke- shattering every memory, every hope, and every fear she'd ever possessed. Unable to die because of what she was, unable to join her soul mate even in the after life, she sealed herself away in Time- stuck forever between angels and devils, good and evil, past and future. But still, those who know how to listen can hear her song. . . every time the wind blows through, searching for her lost love."

He finished with a wave of his hand, tawny pools slowly focusing as the familiar catharsis that followed his storytelling over took them both. It was then that he noticed his adorable Contractor- a soft, pleased chortle reverberating through the room upon noticing her struggle to stay awake, wanting to hear the end of the story. It was like she was 12 again.

"That's it, ri-ri-riiiiiight?" Rosette yawned widely, gaze out of focus and brain gradually shutting down. The Sinner nodded, shifting subtly in his chair. "Mmmm. . . that ending. . . always makes me sad. . ." Her voice became softer, nothing more than a breathy whisper. "I've always. . . .believed that love conquers all."

"There are many who do. I find that admirable," the demon praised, speaking in muted tones. "But I also find it hard to allow myself to believe that."

"That's horrible. . ."

"I know."

Rosette yawned once more, rolling over so that she could face Chrono and cuddle into her blankets at the same time; the pretty mental pictures and the melodious tones of the demon having lulled her into a relaxed trance. Perhaps that was why her lips had become so loose.

"Chrono. . . I was wondering. . . Chrono said that. . . he loved me." She swallowed, lashes fluttering shut. "And I. . . I wanted to know. . .

. . . Do you. . . love me, too?"

The stillness that followed her question was a thick one- full of tension and astonishment. But then a calming laugh resonated through the darkness, an adoring hand brushing stray golden strands from her resting face.

"Of course I do, Rosette," he whispered. "I love you _very_ much. You're like a daughter to me."

And in the haze that was her sleepy mind, the answer made perfect sense.

**X **

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_Geez, that was a long chapter! (5, 972 words, to be precise. XD) (Which means the editing process was a pain and I probably missed a lot. GOMEN NE!) So I think I should be forgiven for taking a while to update, don't you? (; _

_Ooo, next chapter should be fun, too. . . _

_PREVIEW: Chrono has a heart to heart with himself, marching orders bring mass chaos to Magdalene Order, and Sister Kate pulls a Rosette! _

Until then, ja ne! And please review! XD

_PS. The "story" Windy Girl was inspired by the Chrono Crusade song by the same title. Just thought I'd letcha know!  
_


	5. Sexual Harassment

_Disclaimer: Only in my dreams. . . _

_Author's Note: Hiya guys! _

Sorry it took so long to update. In addition to school work, planning for and going to the ACen convention, my drama class's play (working day and night on The 15 Minute Hamlet. It was fun!), and being engrossed in a new book series— I've been busy writing one shots and not chapters. I recently had this huge surge of ideas for Mediator fics (the book series I'm now really into), an Inu-Yasha one shot, and a new Chrono Crusade chapter fic/one shots. So I've been in the middle of a lot of writing projects. Heh heh. . . gomen ne! (One of those Mediator fics, a few of the Chrono Crusade fics, and the Inu-Yasha one shot are up now, if anyone's interested. Okay, self plug is done, I swear!)

_. . . PLEASE FORGIVE ME! T.T_

_Anyway, now that the groveling for forgiveness portion of the chapter is over with, I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me. I know it's been hard. . . and I really DO appreciate it! **I love you all!** _

_And so, without further ado, I give you. . . chapter four. Enjoy! XD_

**X **

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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_Chapter Four: Sexual Harassment_

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He used to wonder, back when the expression was used frequently in his presence (mainly by Joshua, talking about Rosette's newest enemy), where the term "cold shoulder" had come from. Really, what did shoulders have to do with anything? And _cold? _The person was mad at you, not stuffing ice cubes down your shirt. There was no reason for a lack of heat to play into ignoring someone.

Or so he'd thought.

But now that he had "the sandy end of the lollypop in his mouth" (as his Contractor would have said), he knew exactly why the phrase had stuck. It made perfect sense. In fact, the translation of the idiom was almost literal. Why else would his double's back be turned to him, shoulders stiff? Why else would his insides be frozen, yet writhing? Why else would the silence be so thick?

Little Chrono glared into space, fiddling with the yellow ribbon on the end of his braid. 'Stupid idiot,' he thought, peeved; while glaring at his doppelganger's reflection in the mirror propped before him. The Sinner's tense muscles, blanketed by a jacket of black leather, glistened dully in the candlelight of the Elder's cabin. He continued to scorn the violet-locked demon that was determinedly attempting to use the tiny, cracked looking glass to fix his hair for the night. Seeing as how his plait had become nothing more than a coil of vertebrae, the fully transformed Chrono had nothing to worry about.

Except listening to the frustrated grunts of his childish counterpart, that was. And it was getting rather annoying.

"A—applesauce. . ." the tinier one snarled, vainly swinging his arms behind his back. The position, both uncomfortable and ineffective, only served to fuel his general bad mood. "Why can't I get this stupid—! Rgh!" Releasing a pent up cry of frustration, the sealed devil flopped backwards, panting. . . allowing his very loose hair to cushion his fall. "This is pathetic. . ."

"No kidding," Big Chrono muttered under his breath, his vow of muteness seemingly forgotten. "You're just _sad_, you know that?"

Little Chrono tilted his chin up a bit, which allowed him to glare coldly at his other half. "Dry up! I don't see _you_ offering to help!"

The Sinner smirked slightly, turning on his rear in one fluid motion; resting his cheek lightly against the back of his hand. His remaining fingers began to drum upon the wooden floor beside the stone hearth, where a warm fire had been stoked into life an hour ago—right before the Elder left to perform some more experiments on the split Remingtons. (Scientists. . . strange little creatures, they were. Why anyone would _want_ to be by those two was a mystery.) "Well, you never asked, did you?"

". . ." The younger-looking demon blinked once, twice. . . then grunted, mildly embarrassed. "I . . . I guess I didn't, did I?" he grudgingly admitted after a moment or two, tired arms dangling limply at his sides.

"Mmm, no," Adult Chrono agreed, not bothering to mask his humor the slightest. "But on the other hand, you were right: I never offered, either. So we're square." Then—before the child-like devil could respond—the Sinner had grabbed the end of his very messy braid and yanked, tugging Little Chrono towards him. (Luckily, the pine planks were slick with wax; without it, that maneuver would have been much more painful than necessary.) "Now, where'd you stash the comb?"

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. The smaller devil, who appeared for a second to be frozen in shock, gaped blankly—before soundlessly pointing to the worn silver brush next to a few dried logs. Using his bone-like appendage to grab the indicated item, Big Chrono started to untangle his double's knotted hair; face emotionless but eyes intent.

A second hush fell—a different soundlessness than previously, but full of just as much tension. The fire crackled merrily, but the warmth fell short of the two young men. For though the actions of the Sinner were generous, neither pretended that the offer had been selfless. Big Chrono simply wanted his counterpart to shut up.

Little Chrono squirmed slightly, but more from physical discomfort than nerves. His other half wasn't being very gentle. . . not that he had expected him to, or anything. Still, when the Sinner yanked haphazardly through a particularly large snarl, LC couldn't help but release a pent-up yelp. "Ouch! Geez, be more careful will you?" Putting his hand on the back of his skull and pulling his hair free from the 'evil clutches' of his doppelganger, the sealed demon shot a very nasty look over his shoulder. "Even Rosette at her maddest wouldn't be so harsh!"

The Sinner scowled; his grip on the comb tightening to such a degree that it almost snapped in half. "Don't speak of my Contractor in such a flippant manner," he murmured warningly, tawny eyes narrowing. "You have no right to mention her name."

"?" This unexpected proclamation made the second stiffen . . . then snort, torn between amusement and exasperation. "What do you mean? She's MY Contractor, too. And why shouldn't I say her name? What should I call her by instead? 'Girl'? 'Sister'? 'Nun with Gun'?" Little Chrono laughed bitterly, though he looked disgusted. "Tell me, what gives you the authority to decree how I should address by Master?"

"Because I know what I'm talking about," Big Chrono retorted sourly, taking a handful of violet hair and beginning to roughly plait the strands. "And I know that you should leave her alone!"

"Why?" the child bit back, tilting his head dramatically so that his neck didn't feel so sore. "So you can have her all to **yourself**? _So you can do all of those _things_ to her that you know deep inside that you want to?_"

The taller of the two choked, body beginning to tremble with poorly suppressed emotion. "Th—that's not true!"

LC smirked, though furious, as he felt his other's hands grow rigid. "You can't lie to me, you know— I once had those thoughts, too; especially when the Seal was broken. Her scent drives you wild, doesn't it? A body fit for anyone to mate with, for a devil or a mortal—_that's_ what you're thinking. And now that her monthly blood is over—!"

That was the last straw. Before either had realized what was going on, someone—most likely the Sinner—had thrown a wild, angry punch that the other instinctively managed to block. Then, that same other retaliated with a right hook, which inevitably resulted in a wrestling match on the floor— both demons utilizing every ounce of energy, strength, and speed they possessed.

The fire continued to pop pleasantly in the background, but was drowned out by the grunted screams and cries of horror, disgust, and pain from the divided Chronos.

"I SAID: DON'T SAY HER NAME AGAIN!" Big Chrono roared; pressing the child's face into the ground as LC struggled fiercely, eyes flashing and fangs lengthening.

"OH YEAH? AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT, YOU BASTARD?" the second bellowed, managing to swing his elbow powerfully enough so that it both connected with his double's temple and made him see stars. In that moment of disorientation, the smaller of the two managed to roll over, getting to his feet. "Well, listen to this, have a spasm, and DIE: _ROSETTE, ROSETTE, ROSETTE, ROSETTE_, **_RO—SE—TTE_**!"

"STOP IT!" the Sinner demanded, knocking the kid back down again—but not before the clone managed to give his sensitive wings an overly severe jerk. "STOP IT, AND LEAVE HER BE!"

"I REPEAT," Little Chrono screeched as the two began to wrestle wildly on the ground, claws joining the fray. "WHY SHOULD I? SO _YOU_ CAN HAVE HER?"

"_I swear—I don't want her like that!_" BC grunted, grabbing his doppelganger's fists in order to keep from having his nose broken. "And NEITHER SHOULD YOU!" Accelerating suddenly, true-form Chrono managed to catch the child's arms behind his back, locking him firmly in place. "Think. . ." he panted in LC's ear, both falling to their knees from exhaustion. "Think of Magdalene. . ."

". . ." The sealed devil instantly stilled, his breath catching in his throat. His limbs—which had still been struggling ferociously—went limp in the Sinner's hold. "Magdalene. . ." he whispered, more of a statement than anything else. "Magdalene. Magdalene. . .

. . . Is dead."

Big Chrono—who had been just about ready to release his restrain on the child—instantly tightened his grasp again. "W-what?" he forced out, unexpected nausea having winded him. Never—never so bluntly—!

"Oh, don't act like that," the child muttered, sounding irritated. Regardless, his head hung low; so as not to meet his other half's eyes. "You know that she's gone. And. . . you also know that there's nothing we can do to bring her back. There's nothing we can do to change what happened. Magdalene, no matter how important she is to us, is part of the past. . .and if we don't act now, Rosette will be, too!" Tongue darting out to moisten his chapped lips, the sealed devil took a shuddering breath. "I don't want. . . to lose someone else I care so much about, without at least letting her know how I feel. I may have loved Magdalene. I may care for her still. But that doesn't change the fact that _I love Rosette_—and if she loves me back, I plan to make something of our relationship." He paused after say thing this, waiting for the answer he was sure would come.

And it did.

". . . H-ow. . . ? How. . . ?" the Sinner shuddered, a snarl working its way up his throat. "_How? **How can you be so cruel!**_"

"_Me_?" the other gaped. "YOU are the one being cruel—both to Rosette and yourself! Don't you see the look in her eyes? Don't you feel the ground dropping away when she smi—?"

"SHUT UP!" Big Chrono roared, his fingers tightening so fiercely that the kid's wrists almost broke. "I cannot BELIEVE a part of myself would ever think of betraying Magdalene! Of hurting Rosette any more—thrusting your inconsequential feelings onto her!"

"They aren't— inconsequential if she feels the same! And—I'm _not_—betraying Magdalene!" the child shouted, his face contorted in agony. "She's GONE! There's nothing—!"

The Sinner's glower intensified. In fact, it looked as if he were about to cry. "_We can honor her memory!_"

"What—by being _miserable_ the rest of our lives? By _never moving on_?" Little Chrono retorted dryly, flexing his toes rapidly to distract from the jolts of pain shooting up and down his arms. "You know she wouldn't have wanted that!"

"How do _you_ know what she'd have wanted—especially for us!" BC cried, a single tear of frustration slipping down his cheek. "She's **_dead_** because of what we did!"

The sealed devil stared coldly; face set in solemn frown as he glanced in his clone's direction. ". . . Because. . . I knew Magdalene. And she would never wish ill on anybody. . . not even us."

". . ." Big Chrono released his other half with a muffled growl, turning away without another word. The room, for the third time that night, became still.

It was time to say goodnight.

Little Chrono—who's hair had never ended up getting done—sighed wearily, massaging his wrists before heading towards his room, about to shut the door when he heard a low hissing. He paused, but didn't bother to turn and face the speaker.

"I promise you, you vile brat. . ." the Sinner spat, his voice carrying easily through the quiet house, "that if anything happens to Rosette. . . _I'll kill you_."

"Ditto," the smaller demon answered calmly. And then he left for bed.

But neither, it turned out, did much sleeping that night. . . so full were their heads of memories, hopes, regrets, dreams. . . and fear—that his other half may have been right.

**X**

The next day dawned bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Wasn't it funny how the weather so rarely mirrored one's mood? The Sinner huffed slightly, glaring at a singing bird in an aspen tree from the breezeway. Life was _never_ like books, he darkly mused; where it was rainy during bad times, sunny during good times. . . and a jovial "happily ever after" awaited the characters once they'd completed their adventure. What bull. . . You'd think that writers would clue in, by now.

Whatever.

"Chr—er, Mr. Sinn— no. . . Oh, whatever I'm supposed to call you!"

"Mary!"

"What? Anna, I don't know— you say something, if you're so perfect!"

"Oh, you're both hopeless. . ."

Big Chrono— though groggy, cranky, and overall feeling pretty pissed off (stupid purple haired brat)— turned around and grinned amusedly at the antics of Sisters Claire, Mary, and Anna, who were shuffling cautiously up to him with identical expressions of trepidation. "Yes?" he inquired politely, voice gentle and soothing.

Their faces almost instantly relaxed. He didn't seem so dangerous. . . What sort of a devil could smile so kindly? "Um, well, Rosette's looking for you," Anna chirped, cheeks pink as she glanced towards her twiddling thumbs. "Something about marching orders."

"Yeah!" Mary added, lips curling into her patented, cat-like beam. "There's a disturbance at downtown! Sister Kate says you need to go now!"

The Sinner faltered, momentarily surprised, before saying: "Uh. . . sure. All right. But—where's Rosette?" Why hadn't she come to tell him herself?

"Oh, she had to go recruit your. . . uh. . . other half," Claire informed him in her usual placid whisper. "Sister Kate wants _all_ of y—ou. . . to. . go. . ." Her voice suddenly trailed off, the confused tone matching the look on her cocked head. For, not even a second before, the incredibly tall demon had been standing in front of her and her friends. And now, he was gone: having disappeared in the blink of an eye.

". . . Well, that was different," Anna smirked slightly. "Rush often?"

"Wow! That was the bee's knees!" Mary squealed while poking the spot the Sinner had been standing with her foot. "I wanna learn how to do that! Poof!" Waving her arms wildly, the blonde nun giggled.

Rolling her eyes, Claire began to walk off, wondering what in Heaven's name was going on in this convent, and why she had yet to be informed.

**X**

Sister Kate was at her wits end.

Seriously.

This time she _actually_ was.

Oh, sure, she had _said_ so before—and she **thought** she had _meant_ it before—but even having to deal with Rosette, the Sister of Destruction, had never been quite so horrible as this. Of that, she was most certain.

"**_REM—ING—TON!_**" she bellowed, grabbing the golden haired minister ruthlessly by the ear. The man, who had been chatting rather lecherously (if that was even possible) with a young novice, yelped; trying to escape with a pathetic whimper. "What in GOD'S NAME are you DOING?"

"Owowowowow, my darling Sister, don't look so jealous!" the hansom father begged, cowering under the woman's steely gaze. "I was—uh—only helping her find her way to the bathroom!"

"Sister Amelia has been a member of this convent for over a year, Remington, and so, as you very well know, she needs no assistance in finding her way to the toilet! Isn't that right, Sister?" Kate snapped her cold gaze upon the very nervous looking redhead who had been attempting a quiet escape as the two bickered. Unfortunately for her, she'd only managed to step around one of the mess hall's tables before being addressed. Curses.

"Uh. . ." Amelia faltered, wringing her hands nervously. "T—that's right. . . ?" Swallowing hard, the poor girl's heart-shaped face began to turn an even brighter shade of magenta, making her appear more like a Valentine than ever. "I—I mean, I _do_ know where the bathrooms are, but. . . um. . . that wasn't. . . that wasn't what he had been—"

But she cut herself off abruptly when she noticed Remington Two making wild, desperate, slashing motions across his throat. Too abruptly, it seemed, for Kate became suspicious right away.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" she shrieked, visibly appalled as she began to swing the man violently around, merely by jostling his ear lobe. "YOU WERE SEXUALLY HARASSING _MORE_ SISTERS? After the talking I gave to you not **twenty minutes ago**? _What's WRONG with you?_ DID YOU ALREADY _FORGET_?"

"Uh. . ." Father Remington, doubled over in pain, considered for a moment. "Yeah. Yes, I forgot."

Steam nearly shot out of the good Sister's ears. "_It was a rhetorical question!_"

"Oh." Number 2, again, pondered this for a moment. ". . . Then why did you ask at all?"

". . ." She simply stared at him, teeth gnashing, free fist clenching a handful of air.

3. . .

2. . .

1. . .

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!" _**

"What? What is it?" At the sound of Kate's scream, the first Remington came bounding in from the nearby library, looking politely puzzled over his half-moon reading glasses. In his arms he held a book of DaVinci's masterpieces, which he had been scouring for clues relating to their newest spiritual mystery. "Are you all right, dear Sister Kate?"

Kate spun around to face him, the one standing calmly in the doorway, with her habit rumpled and her expression livid. Her grip on Remington 2's ear had yet to loosen. "NO," she snapped, "NO, I am NOT all right. I cannot work under these conditions! The _other sisters_ cannot work under these conditions! I can't TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

Remington 1 blinked, nonplussed. His clone grinned happily and waved at him, still bent at the side—as the sister had yanked his ear to the same level as her hip. "I. . . see. Is my worthless double pestering you? My deepest, most sincere apologies." He shot his doppelganger a nasty glare before making a soothing noise in the back of his throat. "Well, let's go somewhere else, then, so that everyone can get work done. Heaven forbid we disrupt the other exorcists."

"WHAT. ABOUT. HIM," Kate forced out acidly, kneeing the rouge minister in the stomach when he attempted to slide his hand beneath her slip. "Where'll HE go?"

The first priest sighed deeply, though kept on a brave face. "We'll just take him with us and keep an eye on him. Luckily, if kept in plain sight, he will be deterred from flirting with everything that breathes."

"What?" Remington the second, for the first time, sounded highly offended. "I do NOT flirt with everything that breathes! . . . I was flirting with the paintings, too." He giggled, as if he'd just come up with the wittiest joke in the world.

Sister Kate appeared to be about to vomit.

But, in the end, she had little choice in the matter. The fact was, both Remingtons were causing too much of a distraction to be allowed to run free. Remington One was simply too intelligent and . . . well. . . religious. Not only had he offended many of the other members of the Order when bluntly pointing out serious flaws in all of their plans, he had then spent the rest of his time chasing down those who muttered anything even slightly sexual and slapping them over the head with his Bible. Remington Two, on the other hand, had wasted _his_ time doing just the opposite—playing pranks on the exorcists and, as his counterpart had so tactfully put it, "forcing his 'sexual prowess' on the poor, unsuspecting world." Which was true. The second didn't even try to deny it—in fact, he bragged about it. He bragged and then did it some more.

Which, in all honestly, was unbelievably irksome.

_Almost_ as irksome as Confessions had been that morning, in which Father 1 had called every Confessor a "SINNER! SINNER! HORRIFIC, DAMNED SINNER! A POSSESSED HORROR!" and Father 2 had given all of the Sisters sex advice; naming off a number of the ways to really drive guys crazy. Which, needless to say, had been quite disturbing. . . but not as disturbing as the fact that many of the girls seemed to take his words seriously. Much too seriously than they should have, really.

At least Sister Rosette hadn't been there. . . the last thing _that_ girl needed was a list of ways to "successfully lay" Chrono.

The mere thought made Kate shudder with disgust.

Anyway, that was the story behind how she had gotten to where she was—locked in her office with two certifiably insane men (though the Elder had denied all suggestions of their madness last night when he had been examining their brainwaves and all of that scientific stuff). It was Hell.

Really, it was.

And, though she knew she had done some bad things in her life, Kate was sure she'd never done _anything_ horrible enough to deserve this.

"Would you two," she groused, trying her best to keep her mind on the letter she was writing to the San Francisco branch, "_please_ stop, all ready?"

The two ministers—who had been squabbling loudly near the door, mostly under their breath—froze, as if surprised that she could hear them. But truthfully, even _whispering_ they were extraordinarily loud. Irritatingly so. She shot them an icy glance from over her spectacles, speaking (relatively) calmly, but firmly. Sometimes, she even amazed _herself_ with her acting skills. "Remington, stop yelling at Remington! I know Remington is annoying, but he's made it perfectly clear that no amount of talking will making him change his ways. And Remington, I don't care how sexy the drapes OR the sisters are to you, you will NOT continue down this perverted path!"

Taking a deep breath, she returned her stare to the paper before her, dipping the end of her pen in her ink bottle. At least, that had been her intent— but her attempt at thoughtful contemplation and literary composition was rudely interrupted by a soft "ahem" and the slight jostling of her desk that indicated someone placing something on it. In this case, a chin—which was cushioned by a set of crossed arms and a very gentle grin.

Remington—presumably number two, seeing as number one rarely smiled—was crouched before her, looking both understanding and cheerful. "I'm ever so sorry, my sultry Sister," the man breathed smoothly, tilting his head in an "innocent" way. "I never meant to bother as I must have. And I _certainly_ didn't intend to anger you, so."

Kate sucked in her cheeks, not entirely sure that she enjoyed being refereed to as "sultry". But, by the same token, she couldn't find it in herself to protest. It would simply take too much effort. Instead, she put on an unconvinced face and set her pen down, placing one of her hands on top of the other. "I see," she then drawled, concentrating so totally on the second of the pair that she did not notice Remington one's—well, envious— scowl. "Thank you for your apology, Father, but I'm afraid that your words simply aren't good enough. You are going to have to convince me to forgive you through actions. Actions such as _behaving_. . . ?" Her light, suggesting tone did not go unnoticed. Remington 2 smirked slightly, amused.

But he didn't seem to be thinking along the same lines as she was. "Actions. . . ?" he murmured softly, gradually pushing himself to his feet; leaning over the edge of the desk so that their faces were barely 6 inches apart. "I suppose you have a point. I _have_ heard that **actions** speak _louder_ than **words**. . ."

Then he began, ever so leisurely, to descend upon her—not fast enough for Kate herself to notice, but certainly enough for his other half to. Which he did.

And he did not like what he saw.

"DON'T YOU _TOUCH_ HER, VILE DEMON!" he screeched, chucking his book on DaVinci at the back of his dopplegenger's blonde head. The volume connected effortlessly with its target, resulting in a hollow 'thunk'ing sound before bouncing off of his skull, skidding across the floor, and bashing into a corner.

Utter silence fell in the room. Until slowly. . . very, very slowly. . . Remington 2 turned around.

He looked pissed. Well, that happened when someone/thing without feminine parts touched his hair. His blue eyes flashed, fingers clenching into tight balls. Kate, who was looking more confused than anything by now, glanced from one minister to the other, pushing an inch or two away from her desk. "Um. . . Remington? Remington? What are yo—?"

"WHAT," Remington 2 hissed, taking a step towards his counterpart, "was THAT for, Father?"

"I believe," the other retorted coolly, approaching just as fearlessly, "that you already **know** _why_."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Oh, yes, you do."

Both glared, sparks crackling between them.

Then they humphed and spun away from the other, as if nothing had happened. But something had—something _big_ had obviously taken place. For it was then, Kate noticed, that both of the men began fighting.

Not physically. They didn't lift a finger against the other, actually. If anything, they were abnormally polite. Oh, no—instead they began fighting. . .

For her attention.

Usually, Kate would forcibly deny such claims. No two men, after all, would be _so_ interested in **her** that they'd quarrel over who she was paying more heed to at any given moment. At least, that's what she'd thought. . . But if that was the case, then why was it that whenever Remington One began talking to her, or showing her a clue related to the mission, Remington Two would begin to give her a foot rub? Or when she kicked off The Second, yelling at him to keep his hands to himself, The First would suddenly need her help looking up a particular artist or passage from the Bible? Or when she was in the middle of assisting Father 1, Father 2 would try holding her right hand?

Then Remington the First would grab her left hand. . .

And the other would give her a small jerk his way. . .

And his clone would give her a tiny yank the _other_ way. . .

They shot each other vicious stares, growling while they played tug-of-war with her. Kate, in turn, couldn't think of anything to say or do while this happened, as she was in a strange state of shock. _What on Earth was going on?_

"Would—you—let—go?" the serious father grunted, leaning forward so that his forehead bashed into his counterpart's. They continued to wrench the Sister's arms. "She's too good for a flirt like you! She needs a solemn, holy warrior!"

"NO," the wild child countered, sounding just as aggravated. "She needs someone who can show her how to have FUN once in a while! Tell her that it's okay to cut loose!"

"I'm right HERE you know!" Kate couldn't help but grumble, though she, in all honestly, was still feeling rather bewildered. Why would anyone—especially Remington—be. . . well. . . fighting over. . . over. . .

"She wants me!"

"No, me!"

"Me!"

"Me—I'll prove it to you!"

"No, _I'll _prove it to YOU!"

It was in that moment that both of the men; who had still been staring down the other in very close proximity; turned to face her, identical sparks in their eyes as they simultaneously bowed low—

And pressed their lips to hers.

"?"

_CRACK! _

Kate's eyes, which had seconds before been wide with shock, jammed shut instinctively when a huge flash of light filled the room—

And suddenly, only one mouth was covering her own.

". . ." Father Remington; the one, the only, the SINGULAR Father Remington; pulled jerkily away from the Sister, noticing their position. He was towering over her, having locked her in her chair with his limbs; which he'd placed on the arm rests to support his weight. She, in return, was leaning back in her seat; dark pools bugged out and body stiff, her face more pink than it had ever been in her life.

". . ." She stared blankly at him from behind her glasses, noting with mild interest that his cheeks were red, too.

"U-uh. . ." Remington swallowed, carefully prying himself away from Kate as he noticed the dawning realization spreading across her face. She did not look happy. "Si-Sister Kate, please, allow me to explain. . ."

"**_REMINGTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!_**" she shouted, voice strangled and high pitched; face burning with embarrassment and astonished shock. "**_Y-YOU—!_**" But, despite her best, spluttered attempts to form a protest or argument following his name and 'you', she couldn't make another sound. So instead, she simply took out her angered frustration in the only other way she could think of: by thoroughly beating the tar out of him.

Sister Rosette would be so proud.

**X **

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_And now, Q&A! _

Question:_ "OH MY GOODNESS! The ending to Wendy Girl made me cry. Is it real? Or just something you made up?"_

Answer:_ Nope, as I mentioned, I based if off of the lyrics of the Chrono Crusade song 'Windy Girl' which is sung by the Japanese Radio Drama Rosette, with Radio Drama Az in the background. If anyone is interested in seeing the lyrics, I can post them with the next chapter. _

Question:_ "I read somewhere once that you have no clue how the series ends, and haven't read past a few novels. Is that true? Well, there's a website I recently found called "Astral Contract A Chrno Crusade Fansite." It has translated scanilations of the entire mangas up to book #5 or 6, and even after have important chapter summaries of the entire series, excluding the epilogue. There are wallpapers, images, fanfiction, fanart, music, and a lot of other cool stuff. you should check it out! I warn you though, it's very easy to get hooked on that site."_

Answer:_ I **love** Astral Contact! Some of my stuff is posted there, actually, under fanart and fanfiction. But, even if it wasn't, that wouldn't change the fact that it's one of the best CC sites out there. However, I dislike spoilers and, usually, scans. I prefer having the manga in my hands, you know? It's just a thing with me. So yes, I know of the existence of the scans and summaries, I just choose to ignore them. ;) _

Question:_ "If the Glue Factor means that the ones involved must be perfectly aligned at one moment, then does that mean until both Chrnos love Rosette the same way, they can't become one again?"_

Answers:_ Uh. . . yeah. Pretty much. But it'll all be explained in largely unnecessary detail in later chapters. XD  
_

Question:_ "i think it'd be better if Big chrno loved rosette as a love like we all know as in a wife or something... not like a daugter. thats weird.. no effence!" (Okay, that's more like a statement, but I'm gonna answer anyway.) _

Answer:_ None taken! I'm glad you brought it up. A lot of people have been saying "Chrono— daughter— love— what. . . ?" And I realize it's a sort of weird concept to grasp. But, at least, in the beginning—that's more or less what he saw her as. Rosette obviously had a huge crush on him (remember those toxic cookies she made? And Joshua's teasing?), but he was very much stuck in parental mode. (Sorry, but I don't see Chrono allowing himself to fall in love with a 12 year old orphan to whom he tells bedtime stories. He's smart enough to wait until she can drive. ;)) _

_Also, I had someone mentioning how they thought LC would be this wild, doting boyfriend-esque creature and BC would be a more urbane, gentlemanly lover in this fic. And, no matter how much I'd love to do that, it would make having a plot difficult. Sorry! (I did think about doing it like that for a while, though.) _

_Anyway, I hope this chapter at least cleared away a bit of confusion as to why both Chronos are acting the way they are. If not, don't despair—it will all be explained by the end. I promise. _

_Well, that's about it! Thanks for reading, and please review! _

NEXT CHAPTER: Rosette, Chrono, and Chrono go off to defeat the demon hiding downtown. But every battle has a price. . . and the price this time is somebody's feelings. Feelings that are about to get crushed.

_See ya then! _


	6. Green Eyed Monster

_Disclaimer: (sobs pathetically) _

_Author's Note: I. HATE. EXAMS. And they are my reason for this chapter taking so long. GEEZ! How many review packets can teachers thrust upon us within the span of a DAY? I mean, I know they mean well, and I'm grateful that they take the time to help us remember this stuff, but come on. . . _

_Anyway, a bit of good news! _

GOOD NEWS PART 1: I started a new fic! Yea! Maybe some of you saw it already, it's called Dancing in the Rain_. I know the summary makes it sound awful, but it's really not that terrible . . . Least it's not angst, you know? Anyway, if you have a chance, please check it out? I'd really like some feed back on it. _

_GOOD NEWS PART 2: Also, I have a sexy new desktop for my laptop! Woot! It's that picture of demon Chrono (BC! XD XD XD) biting Rosette's neck all vampire-like. Ooo, it's so sexy. . . and then Rosette looks really cool too—she's got on this raggedy white dress on but my computer botches it up so it's got this cool black-n-yellow hatch mark effect. . . XD _

_GOOD NEWS PART 3: Here's chapter 5!_

**X **

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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_Chapter Five: Green Eyed Monster _

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"Ow! He hit me!"

"No, you hit ME!"

Her eye gave a slight twitch.

"Nuh uh, I just defended myself when you attacked!"

"Attacked? With what!"

"Your hand, obviously!"

Her grip on the wheel tightened.

"Well, you're in my spot!"

"Not true: I _always_ sit in front—you're bigger, anyhow; you'd get in Rosette's way!"

"You ARE getting in Rosette's way!"

Her teeth gnashed.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

_Grrrrrrr. . ._

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are t—!"

"DO YOU WANT ME TO TURN THIS CAR AROUND!" Rosette snapped, whipping her gaze away from the road and glaring at each Chrono in turn. Little Chrono—the one sitting beside her—whimpered and shrunk towards the window as the Sinner—who took up the entire back seat—paled, though still appeared to be furious. "Because I will! I swear to God I will if you two don't SHUT UP!"

"Um. . . But Rosette," the child pointed out timidly, "you can't. Sister Kate sent us on a mis—!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" she snarled, piercing the smaller devil with her icy gaze. "And I don't CARE what that stupid old pill sa—!"

"**_Rosette_**!" Big Chrono roared, pointing desperately towards the windshield. "Look out!"

"What the—_augh_!" The exorcist blanched, spinning the wheel wildly to the left to avoid three oncoming cars and a random pedestrian. "Dammit!" she panted while they wizzed dangerously passed. "Dammit, dammit, dammit—I can't wreck another jalopy!"

"Then pay attention to your driving!" the Sinner suggested in a rather sarcastic tone, crossing his arms and slouching in his seat as best as he could. It was a hard thing to do, after all, with wings that took up so much space.

Rosette made a very irritated sound in the back of her throat. "All right, YOU try paying attention to ANYTHING with a pair of rubes making so much noi—_applesauce_!" Slamming her foot down on the break, the nun and her partners screamed for their lives as the little car began to rapidly spin—eventually smashing into a nearby wall.

But, as luck would have it, not hard enough to do any real damage. (Thank goodness.)

"Is. . . everyone okay?" Big Chrono asked breathlessly, clutching the headrest of the front seat with swirling eyes, almost as green in the face as his smaller counterpart—who was hanging half way out the window, choking on dry heaves. Rosette, pinned behind the steering wheel with her legs sprawled haphazardly around her, moaned groggily, clutching her head.

"I think so. . ." the child groaned, carefully pulling himself back into the car. Their Contractor grunted in agreement, straightening after a moment of softly hissed curses. "Are we here?"

"Yeah," the nun nodded, previous annoyance forgotten when she managed to kick her way out the door, fixing her straps and pockets. The road around Macy's department store was oddly quiet, empty. . . as were the rest of the streets, now that they thought about it. And those vehicles and people that _were_ near by were moving in the opposite direction. Rather quickly, actually. "This is it."

"What's the story?" the muffled voice of the Sinner sounded from the cramped rear of the automobile—the whole car shaking as he fought vainly to escape. It seemed that climbing _out_ over the seats wasn't as easy as climbing _in_. . . Little Chrono eventually had to grab his arms and yank; causing them both to topple through the doors and land back-first on the sidewalk. (Ow. But at least they were free.)

"A devil worshiper by the name of Charles Simon has—or, rather, **had**— been working here for the past few months," Rosette filled them in, eyes on her guns; cocking and loading them full of sacred spirits. She did pause for a second, though; just long enough to shoot the sprawled pair a warning glance, nodding mutely when they got up and began working, too: the child donning his wooden backpack and the Sinner re-hinging the doors. "He was assigned to do displays—" she pointed towards what remained of the windows: cracked glass, yellow caution tape, and puddles of dark oozing liquid — "and got a little creative with the designs, if you catch my drift."

"Blood?" the sealed one murmured, eyes widening slightly when they fell upon the destroyed window displays. Broken chunks mannequin limbs lay scattered beside the building; eerily pale in the early twilight shadows.

"Yup," the teen scowled, aiming at a near by statue and gently squeezing the trigger—but not enough to fire. Satisfied that these guns would do, she began to march towards the massive, empty building. "And little bits of the employees he took the stuff from. Authorities were on his case, but they were too late—he managed to summon a devil earlier this evening. Of course, the dumb sap got torn apart in the spell."

The Sinner frowned, trailing after Rosette—and silently fighting with his doppelganger for the privilege of walking beside her. "It took the humans here THAT long to realize that there was a murder within their mists?"

Rosette shrugged, halting at the wide double doors. Though they were made with plenty of inlaid glass, nothing could be seen inside. Nothing except darkness. Mm— comforting. "Well, he started off by hunting down those who were already on vacation or were out sick. You know, so that there was already a reason behind their not showing up for work. But then I guess he grew impatient. . ." A snort of utter disgust fell from her lips. "What a fool."

"Well, that _fool_ managed to bring forth something marginally _intelligent_," Big Chrono glowered, holding out a hand to stop his Contractor from straying any closer to the front entrance. His clone shot him a meaningful glance.

"Yes. . . there's something powerful in there," the little one muttered, eyes glazing over for a moment. He quickly snapped back to full consciousness, however, a look of concern on his face. "All of those sacrifices have given the demon a surprisingly strong astral boost. And, if we enter, we run the risk of feeding the glutton some more."

True-form Chrono nodded once, though he didn't appear to be thrilled with having to agree with his other half. "He's right. The devil inside has a horn, as well. Maybe even two."

"Hm, that's great," the young woman retorted rather dryly, becoming visibly restless. "But standing here and talking about it isn't gonna do much, either way! If anything, it'll just give this abomination more of a chance to plot a counter attack. If he's as strong as you say I'm sure he's already sensed us."

The two demons winced, not really having thought of that.

"All right, then," the Sinner agreed after a moment, a look of cold determination on his smooth face. "Let's go. But Rosette, be careful—and stay behind me. I'll go first."

"Why?" she demanded, huffy. Her demon smirked slightly over his shoulder; looking amused as he took a step towards the entrance.

"Because I'm special," he teased. "And because I'm more equipped for battling with demons . . . for a few reasons."

Rosette, no matter how grudgingly, had to admit that was true. Curses. Little Chrono sidled up beside her the moment his double was out of the way, offering a reassuring smile.

"That doesn't mean you're not good, Rosette," he whispered sincerely, blood-red orbs glittering with admiration. "You're an excellent exorcist! Better than all of the others at the convent. We—mostly me! (before them, the Sinner snarled)— just don't want to see you hurt."

At this, the girl cast him a small grin, stomach twisting strangely. His beam could melt the icecaps, it really could. . .

Big Chrono, by now, was looking irritated. "Okay, you little cake-eater," he spat, whacking the kid upside the head and dragging him away from the sister, "you can shut up now. It's time to work." Taking a stride forward, the three paused— watching mutely when the front doors creaked open, as if inviting them inside.

". . . Well, that was cliché," Little Chrono drawled, blinking once into the never-ending blackness that loomed ominously before them, thick as a storm cloud. He turned to face the other two. "So, who wants to go into the big, scary building first?"

Rosette humphed, positioning her arms to shoot. "It doesn't matter— Let's just get a wiggle on!"

And so they entered the darkness together.

**X**

Cold.

_Everything_ was cold inside the deserted Macy's: the air, the ground, the racks of clothing and accessories. In fact, it was positively frigid. Shivers raced down Rosette's spine, her breath rising in small puffs. Where was this demon? They'd split up, searched the entire store—each floor, each display, each fricken' nook and cranny in the walls. Hell, if it hadn't been for the obvious demonic aura, they might have gone back home by now from a lack of evidence regarding the unholy.

"Where could it be?" the girl asked, frustrated, a few minutes after they'd regrouped; squinting through the shadows towards her devils. "We've checked the entire damned place!" Neither answered right away, seemingly deep in thought. Had they heard her? She opened her mouth to speak again—

But, at that moment, the child replied. Careful, quiet—as if listening for something. "Well," he started softly, peering swiftly left and right, "it's highly possible that this demon is more intelligent that we originally assumed. . . _much_ more. He could have taken on a different form."

"What. . . ? What sort of form?" Rosette demanded to know, stopping mid-step. The sudden lack ofechoing '_clop-clop-clop'_s let her know that both Chronos had paused, too. "A human one, like you two?"

". . . Yes and no," the Sinner replied carefully, voice a low growl. "There are other guises this creature could take on. . . Like that of a mannequin, for example."

'_Manne. . . quin?' _The nun felt herself stiffen, suddenly aware of all of the life-sized dolls hanging around this haunted place. There were quite a few. ". . . Oh."

"We must be careful," BC continued, tawny eyes glowing; slicing through the darkness like the sharpest of swords. "This devil could be any one of these. . . _things_. . . "

They proceed a few paces into the unknown, more in tune with their surroundings than ever before. Until the exorcist—who could have sworn she heard a muffled thumping sound— suddenly broke the deathly silence that had plagued them during the majority of this job. "What was that?" she hissed, pivoting on her heel and pointing her weapon into the blackness. "_Who's there_?"

Both devils froze, rushing over to their Contractor's side. "What is it?" The sealed one inquired, sounding worried. "Is anything wrong, Master?"

"I—Master?" She blinked, but shrugged it off. Little Chrono had always been a bit strange. "I thought I heard something over there. . ." Her face hardened as the Sinner turned towards the indicated direction. "Let's go check it out."

"Yes, let's," Big Chrono agreed firmly, talons lengthening in preparation for battle. "I can sense something of great power in tha—"

But he cut himself off rather suddenly when a small hand wrapped around his wrist, a hand identical to the one that gripped Rosette's shoulder. The Sinner's stare hardened immediately, lip curling; moving away. "What is it, brat? Scared?"

"_No_. It's just that there's no need to do that," LC informed, smiling slightly. "Go over there, I mean. There's nothing of importance to see."

Rosette gave a small double take. "Huh? What makes you say that?" Another tiny noise punctured the silence. "There! I knew I heard som—!"

"No," the child shook his head, still grinning patiently. "It's _nothing_ of importance. Trust me, I checked it out earlier."

BC scowled, glaring down at his doppelganger and yanking his fingers from the nun's arm. His amber pools glittered through the gloom, the emotions behind them unreadable. "I'm sure that the devil has legs," he pointed out icily, enunciating each word like he was talking to a dunderhead. "_And_ that he could move."

". . ." Little Chrono flushed, turning away momentarily. "Heh, I guess you're right," he then beamed, embarrassed, releasing a nervous laugh. "I hadn't thought of that. With all of the mannequin talk and all. . . the sound came from this direction, correct?" Clearing his throat and tugging himself from his other half's grasp, the child led the way—easily dodging shelves of shirts and hangers of dresses. "C'mon." Rosette followed him soundlessly, a feeling of trepidation welling up in her stomach.

Something was wrong. . . Very wrong. Did anyone else feel it?

"Chrono. . . ?" she whispered. "Uh . . . does it feel like it's getting colder to you?"

"Colder? Why do you ask?" The child sounded far away; the Sinner didn't answer at all.

Her brow furrowed in exasperation. That was a stupid question. "Because_ I _think it is, stupid. What do you think?"

"That there's a reason for that," a soft voice in her ear sounded, "my Master."

"Eh—!" Eyes widening to the size of dinner plates, Rosette spun around in shock. _'Wha—how did he get behind—?'_ "Aaaa!" Her stomach dropping, she released a loud cry of surprise; feeling herself trip over something from behind. Something warm and squishy. . . that released a piteous, muffled squeak. What the—?

Oh, God. A gasp of horror lodging itself in her throat, the girl stared blankly at the "thing" she had tumbled over.

Chrono.

Bound and gagged and writhing helplessly on the floor, tears sparkling in his ruby eyes.

Removing the legs that were still draped over his side from her fall, Rosette quickly began pulling on the ends of the rope, trying to free the child. But the evil devil was too close by to give her much of a chance. His reverberating footsteps made this fact all too clear.

"Hello, Sister Rosette Christopher, first class militia member the Magdalene Order," Chrono's child-like voice greeted, a dark element that hadn't been there before tainting his tone. Rosette nearly gave herself whiplash when twisting around—eyes falling on what appeared for all the world to be her devil's sealed form.

But his eyes. . . his eyes were now a luminescent green, like a cat's—twin neon emeralds shimmering through the shadows. Lacing his fingers together behind his back, the Chrono-wannabe began to leisurely pace the perimeter of an imaginary circle; a circle that Rosette and the real ½ Chrono kneeled at the center of. The exorcist felt a growl work its way into her mouth, body tensing. "Who the hell are you!" she snarled, pulling out her gun and pointing it directly at the boy's heart.

He grinned wildly, displaying all of his sharp white teeth. "Why, my darling sister," he spoke in a manner so sinfully smooth that it almost put her into a trance. "Is that any way to greet me? Your loyal slave, Chrono?" A chuckle bubbled up from deep within him, frothing at his lips. Taking a few graceful paces forwards he crouched before the sister, fingers darting out to play with the pocket watch on her chest. "And here I thought we were friends. . ."

Little Chrono gave a ferocious wiggle, trying his best to break free. His imitator simply rolled his eyes, oblivious when Rosette snatched the seal away. "Oh, stop your whining, you pathetic excuse for a devil. Really, slayer of hundreds? You couldn't even protect yourself. Though I suppose. . ." the demon considered thoughtfully as he straightened, sauntering back in the same direction they'd come, "that could be because you seem to have been. . . divided? That was you, back there, wasn't it? The true you. . . the strong you. Pity he couldn't join us."

Rosette stiffened. "What have you done to Chrono!" she demanded harshly, still pointing her gun at the impersonator. "Where is he!"

"Oh, he's just outside my barrier," the imposter shrugged, looking bored. For some reason, the prospect of being stuffed full of holy ammo didn't seem to phase him. _'He must know something I don't. . .' _"And if he hasn't broken through it by now, then I doubt he ever will. Pathetic, really, if you think about it. Though. . ." he paused, licking his lips with a long pink tongue. "You won't be around to consider it much longer, Rosette Christopher. For in just a few moments, you'll be nothing but an empty shell—frozen in time." The already low temperature dropped twenty more degrees to emphasize his point.

By then her insides had turned to ice. But not from fear—no, from anger. Raging, red-hot fury had (Ironically enough) encased her heart in icicles. Not that it mattered. Either way she was going t— _'?'_

Sixth sense flaring, the girl grew rigid; glancing around and subtly trying to loosen her partner's knots while keeping a firm hold to her weapon. _'What was that cracking sound?'_ Whatever it was, it didn't appear the devil could hear it. Sealed Chrono did, though; and even during this dire circumstance he managed to make an irritated face. That could only mean one thing. . .

"Chrono. . ." she breathed silently, feeling a smirk tug on her lips. The green-eyed devil stopped for a moment, cocking an eyebrow.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked flatly, jutting out a hip and crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you have something to say?"

Rosette grinned slightly—innocent, with a touch of smugness. "Yeah, actually, I do," she informed him lightly. "Look out."

The demon blinked, giving a small start as he began to turn—but too late. Sinner Chono had bashed him soundly over the head before he even had a chance to react.

"Ah. . ." BC sighed happily, dusting off his hands as the lower class devil crumpled. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that. . ."

Little Chrono shot him a nasty look from the ground, making very rude sounds through his gag. The Sinner, though, ignored him completely, turning his attention instead to Rosette. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly, worried. She beamed in reply, reestablishing the proper hold on her gun.

"Never better."

He smiled wildly in return, never once taking his eyes off of her as his bone-like tail whipped around, easily slicing through his clone's bindings. (LC let out a hacking cough, thankfully digging out the cloth in his mouth and removing the severed cords from around his limbs. "Rosette. . ." he rasped, trembling slightly. "Rosette, are you. . . I. . . can you. . . Rosette. . . ?") Lifting out a large, tanned hand, the devil gallantly helped Rosette to her feet, looking amused. "Then shall we kick his sorry ass into next week?"

The nun cackled in what most would consider an evil fashion, casting the groaning devil an excited glare. "Yes, let's."

**X**

"And did you see when I got him inside of that angels barrier?" Rosette guffawed loudly, trying to choke down her roll while talking. "That was so damn awesome!"

Big Chrono grinned widely, just as thrilled as he excitedly waved his arms around. "Oh, I know! That was fantastic—but my favorite part was when you did that jump-twist thing—"

"—and you caught me?" the girl finished, slapping her hands happily against the table. Azmaria, who'd joined the three for a late supper, giggled behind her fingers at her friends' animated antics. Little Chrono, on the other hand, simply continued to play with his food; eyes downcast. "Oh my God, that was so cool! And the look on his face was just perfect, you know?" Rosette sighed blissfully, dipping her spoon into her stew with a dreamy expression on her face. "That was the way an exorcism should go, you know? Smooth as butter. . . hell, that was even borderline fun!"

The Sinner snorted, leaning across the table to flick his Contractor's nose playfully. "You sadist, you."

Rosette's face turned bright red. "Dry up!"

"Make me!" he laughed, winking.

"Oh, you don't want that. . . !"

". . ." Little Chrono shifted slightly in his seat, limbs pulled as close to his body as possible. Az, who had been watching him from the corner of her eye, turned to ask him if he was okay—but he shrugged away when she touched his shoulder. Knowing better than to make a scene, she simply returned her attention to the others; a sweet smile on her face—trying to keep her concern suppressed. "Wow, that certainly sounds like it was an exciting mission. . ." The apostle paused, casting the smaller devil another worried stare before glancing back at Rosette. Didn't she notice his expression, hidden beneath his purple bangs? What was going on? "But was it really so simple? I've heard that shape-shifters are classified as some of the highest leveled demons."

"Hmm, that may be," true-form Chrono smirked smugly, leaning his chin against his palm, "but not as strong as Rosette and I. We were truly fantastic today, weren't we?"

The nun's beam grew, blue eyes sparkling and a pink tinge to her cheeks. "Yeah, we were."

_Skkrth. . . _

"?" Rosette, Azmaria, and BC gave a simultaneous jolt, turning around just in time to see Little Chrono stalking silently away: braid bouncing off his back, coat flaring out, hands stuffed in his pockets, and head hung low; not bothering to push his chair back in. His Contractor blinked, confused. "Chrono. . . ?"

Frowning, she turned back to Az. "What was _that_ all about?"

The apostle cleared her throat softly, trying to keep her tone light and blameless. "I'm not sure, but. . . well, what part did sealed Chrono play in all of this?"

"Nothing," the Sinner retorted curtly before Rosette had a chance to open her mouth. "The idiot had gotten himself captured before the real job even began."

"And. . . uh. . ." the pale-haired girl became suddenly and unexplainably interested in the tablecloth. "After that. . . what did you two beat up with such a relish?"

"The demon. . . " Rosette replied carefully, the bewilderment painted on her face slowly melting away as two and two made four. "The demon that. . . that looked. . . oh my God." Bolting to her feet so quickly that her seat toppled over, the exorcist turned to Big Chrono. "We've got to go find him," she breathed desperately, fingers clenching. "We've got to go tell him we're sorry!"

True form Chrono snorted, bored. "We do?" he asked monotonously, drumming his fingers to an unheard tune. "Funny. I didn't think so."

The girl instantly became livid, his attitude lighting the fuse of her temper. "_Listen here you—!_" she began hotly, attracting quite a few stares when she reached across the table and snagged the devil's lapels, giving him a harsh shake, "_You— _**devil**, _you_! How can you be so unsympathetic towards _yourself_?"

He grimaced, carefully removing the sister's fingers from his jacket. "He's not a part of me anymore, Rosette," he informed her in a firmly gentle voice. "And I plan to keep it that way. In any case, he should know better than to get all uppity about a single stupid case—it was for the good of the mission, he knows that. Not destroying that _thing_ simply because it _looked_ like his sorry ass wasn't an option. You know that."

And she did. Which probably explained why she got so frustrated. But even if it _was _true, he couldn't just **say** it! That wasn't how— Chrono never acted— argh! "_Oooh_—" she snarled after a moment of fighting for words, "go jump in a lake!"

That highly intelligent and very witty comment shared, Rosette ran off—following (what she hoped were) the sealed Chrono's tracks.

**X**

"How'd you find me?"

Rosette smiled weakly, her run having slowed to a trot, then a walk—gingerly plodding the last few feet between them at the irregular pace of 'pause. . . step. . . pause. . . pause. . . step. . .'. "Because I always find you here."

His mirthless chuckle echoed quietly through the velvety night, disappearing among the silvery sparkles in the sky that helped illuminate the blackness. The moon was no where to be found, but its light was unnecessary— starshine reflected against every surface, making it glow. A breeze leisurely fluttered through, rustling the long grasses that grew beside the dry stone fountain, the one Chrono always visited when he needed to think.

Coming to a definite stop when she was right before the boy, the nun grinned guiltily, hoping he'd glance her way and know without words that she was sorry. Like usual. But he didn't—only continued to stare towards the ground, knees pulled to his chin, arms wrapped tightly around his legs.

A soft sigh fell from his lips. "What do you want, Rosette?" he inquired, voice so quiet that it barely made a sound at all. "Have you come to rub my weaknesses into my face some more?"

Her lips turned instantly down into a scowl; though it would have been a harsher one had she been able to completely ignore the pathetic quality of his shaking tone. It was definitely harder to be mad when she heard it. "Wow, a pity party," she arched an eyebrow, seemingly annoyed. "Am I invited?"

Another cold laugh, shifting away when she sat down beside him. "Why would you want to come?" he asked sourly, still refusing to meet her gaze. "Wouldn't you rather continue the _victory_ party you and my other half were having at dinner? I'm sure there were a few stories you forgot to relay to Azmaria."

Rosette blew out her cheeks, leaning back on her arms and staring up at the inky-black heavens. The milky way twinkled cheerfully down at her, reminding her of the nights she'd spent stargazing with Chrono in the woods—back before. . . everything. "Look. . ." she then murmured, trying to sound understanding. "I. . . didn't mean to hurt your feelings, if that's what I did. You know, by. . . by blowing up the demon who took on your form. But Chrono, I was mad at what he did to yo—. . . everyone, and if we hadn't—well, you know—and I. . . I. . . what is it?" She paused, baffled; watching blankly as the trembling devil slowly shook his head 'no'.

"That's not it. . ." he grumbled, tightening his hold on his legs and pressing his nose to his kneecaps. "I don't care about the damn. . . well, maybe a little, but. . . but. . ." He stiffened, breath escaping in a loud exhale of surprise when the girl placed her hand on his shoulder; causing him to glance up, taken aback.

She smiled gently, tilting her head. "Chrono. . ."

That was it. All she did was say his name.

And he crumbled.

Bursting into silent tears, he fell against his Contractor, hugging her tightly while spasms of emotion shot through his small body. "Y—you didn't even ca—care. . . !" he sobbed, curling as close to her as he possibly could, oblivious to the expression of shock on Rosette's face. "I couldn't m—move after—the ropes and. . . and then when I got loose. . . and after. . . I couldn't help! I tried, Rosette—I tried so hard. . . but I just— just. . ."Little Chono trailed off lamely, ending in a soft hiccup.

After a moment he swallowed, glancing up at her with watery eyes. "Am I. . . _that_ useless?" he asked, shivering. Fear shone like a fire in his ruby pools; a fear ignited by jealousy and a feeling of worthlessness. "Am I _that_ much of a bother? Do you really. . . really. . . like him more that me?"

"Wha— ?" Completely dumfounded, the exorcist blinked wildly, staring into those endless maroon depths in a stunned sort of bewilderment. "Of course not! I don't like him more that you! What makes you say that?"

His bottom lip quivered, letting his head droop. "You haven't talked to me . . . you haven't smiled at me. All you've done is chatter about how _easy_ and _fun _it is to win with my other half. Is that the way it is, Rosette? Will you only care for me until I become completely useless? Do you really like my demon form better?"

She stared at the crown of his head, speechless. Then:

". . . _IDIOT!_"

With a startled yelp, Little Chrono straightened, vigorously rubbing the newly formed lump on his head; cowering under Rosette's enraged gaze. "What. . . ?"

"I called you an IDIOT!" she roared, eyes flashing as she held up her fist again. "How _DARE_ you even **IMPLY** something so **_STUPID_**? _How long have we been together_?"

"Um. . . o—over four years," the child stuttered, stuck in a state of semi-shock. She grunted her agreement.

"That's right, we've been together four years—and I thought you would have known me better by now! I couldn't care _less_ about how powerful **OR** pathetic you are! I assumed that would be obvious. Hell, if I cared about power, doncha think I would have made a contract with a devil _who still had horns_?" She snorted at his embarrassed appearance, noting how he instinctively lifted a hand to touch the appendages which were no longer there. "God, Chrono, get a clue. Sure, I made a contract with you to find Joshua, but I also wanted _to help you_. You think I didn't **notice** that food didn't cure you? _I care for you_, Chrono, no matter how weak or powerful you are—and I _always_ will! So stop being such a dramatic sap and—!"

But the rest of her rant died of her tongue—for at that moment Chrono flung his arms around her again, head landing against her chest. She froze at the initial embrace but soon relaxed; hugging him back as he, again, began to cry.

"I— I'm sorry. . . !" he whimpered, staining the front of her habit with his salty sadness. Rosette, knowing he'd gotten the point, softened; making a soothing noise in the back of her throat. "I just. . . I don't want to share you. . . and. . . and I. . . and. . ." He gulped loudly, pulling away just enough so that he could stare into her sapphire eyes. "Don't. . . let him fool you, Rosette. . ." he whispered severely, a hint of over protectiveness in his gaze. "_Don't let him fool you_. . . he's not what he seems."

'_. . . Huh?_' Rosette faltered, perplexed by the seemingly random statement, but let it slide without comment as the demon in her arms collapsed once more— drinking in the needed comfort she provided until he drifted off to sleep.

**X**

**X **

X

_And now, our second favorite portion of the chapter (after, I'm hoping, the chapter itself)—the FAQ section!_

_Q: Why are Big Chrono's eyes constantly refereed to as tawny and yellow? Aren't they red, like little Chrono's?_

_A: I used to think so, but if you take a close look at most of the colored CC images, Full Devil Chrono is frequently portrayed as having golden eyes. Don't ask me why, he just is. XD_

_Q: SHOW US! SHOW US THE LYRICS TO WINDY GIRL, DAMMIT!_

_A: (makes a cross with two fingers, backing away) Okay, okay! Here you go!_

NOTE: I don't know of anywhere you can download this song, but you can buy it from anime247 (dot com) under the Chrono Crusade section—it's found on the Chrono Crusade Museum Radio Drama OST, and, as I said, is sung by radio drama Rosette and Azmaria. In addition to containing Windy Girl and a kareoke version of it, the CD also has radio drama BC and Joshua singing one of the most beautiful songs in the entire world, Castle in the Air (and its kareoke track). Even more wonderfully, it has a hilarious 10 minute long radio drama scene, as well as 30 tracks of hot radio drama background music. XD It's one of my all-time favorite CDs!

_(Yes, before you ask, the scene is in Japanese. But if enough people express an interest in hearing about it, I can post a summary of what's going on and stuff.)_

**WINDY GIRL**

_Direct English Translation (Found on the Internet)_

Who is it calling me inside of the wandering wind?

It's nostalgically painful

Now, today, this moment

A thing with no substitute

The passed-through smile spread its wings and disappeared

Tomorrow, when, to somewhere

I believe in the future

_Bridge 1: _If they forget even the power to dream

People will fade away

So don't forget!

_Refrain 1:_ If there's horror, anxiety, sorrow

Just hold your right hand aloft and they'll change into courage

With the speed to live, I go to see you

Someone is waiting for me inside of time: Windy Girl

The stars among the bewildered night shine in a gentle song

A melody from my young days

Now, today, this moment

Everyone is journeying

At the ends of the days time goes, to whom does God smile?

Until the day my life runs out

Tomorrow, when, to somewhere

I want to be able to reach my heart

_Bridge 2_: Two hands connected to each other won't separate

Until the day they search for

The door that opens destiny!

_Refrain 2: _Separations and encounters, tears and such

If you hold your right hand aloft, they'll change into memories

With the strength to believe, I go to meet you

Waiting for me inside of time: Windy Girl

_Refrain 1_: If there's horror, anxiety, sorrow

Just hold your right hand aloft and they'll change into courage

With the speed to live, I go to see you

Someone is waiting for me inside of time: Windy Girl!

_**AN EXTRA FOR GOOD KIDS:  
**_

_If you're anything like me, you love to sing Japanese songs. . . but singing English songs once in a while is fun, too. So here ya go, the best of both worlds! For your musical enjoyment, I present—Windy Girl, English Version (meaning that the lyrics fit the rhythm and you can sing them along to the kareoke track. XD)_

**WINDY GIRL: ENGLISH VERSION**

_Written by: Maiden of the Moon_

Who is it calling me inside the air?

A fleeting whisper of an ancient prayer

It strikes a chord of longing in my heart

Right here, right now; this place, this time

A worn-out toy with no replacement

Your gentle smile left me alone one day

Spread out its wings, took off, and flew away

I need to catch it, hold it— bring it back

Someday, somehow, someplace, someway

A future that I will believe in—!

_Bridge 1: _If one day humans lose their hopes and dreams

The power of mem'ries

The world and those we love will fade away

So don't you dare forget!

_Refrain 1: _If horror and sorrows keep you tightly bound and chained

Just raise your hand, then close your eyes—

And courage will replace your pain

With a reason to live and try I race to touch the sky

There's someone there— Inside of time—

Waiting for me: Windy girl

The stars shine endlessly when darkness falls

Bewildered nighttimes blanket; someone calls

I hear a melody from long ago

Right here, right now; this place, this time

We all are searching for a reason

To whom does God smile when the sunset's gone?

Where does the time go when the days grow long?

Until the moment when my life must end

Someday, somehow, someplace, someway

I'll search to find my heart in the shadows

_Bridge 2: _Two hands, when locked together, won't break free

You'll stay with me

Together we will locate and unlock

The door to destiny!

_Refrain 2: _Encounters and separations, tears that flow and flow

Just raise your hand, then close your eyes

And memories will replace your woes

With the strength to believe in believing I find my way to you

There's someone there—inside of time—

Waiting for me: Windy girl

_Refrain 1: _If horror and sorrows keep you tightly bound and chained

Just raise your hand, then close your eyes—

And courage will replace your pain

With a reason to live and try I race to touch the sky

There's someone there— Inside of time—

Waiting for me: Windy girl!

_Yea! So sing along next time! _

NEXT CHAPTER: Confusion is confusing. . . but not as confusing as the confusing confusion of conflicts Rosette has been cast into. Nothing is making sense anymore— If she's Chrono's glue factor, why do they keep drifting farther and farther apart? A surprise visit may bring the answers. . . but even the answers are confusing!

_Well, I defiantly think that's enough for now. XD I hope you enjoyed! Please R&R! _


	7. A New Contract

_Disclaimer: Gee, you think? _

_Author's Note: Ah, family reunions. That time of the year where I'm forced to sit in the back of some God-forsaken pavilion, surrounded by bucket loads of unhealthy food, trying to make small talk with relatives I'm probably not even related to. But whatever. . . our annual fourth of July get-togethers actually weren't that bad this year— I kind of had fun. I do like seeing some of my aunts and uncles. (Particularly the ones who might be reading this. . . ;-) ) _

_Anyway, since—by tradition—I need an excuse for the chapter being so late, that's my reason this time: I was in MN visiting relatives. (Oh! And as I said in my DitR update, all of you anime fans in MN who I met up with? Yeah, y'all are darb!)_

**X **

X

X

DOUBLE TROUBLE

X

_Chapter Six: A New Contract_

X

X

X

One week. It had been a whole week since Chrono had been torn apart by the Elder's stupidity— and things were starting to change. Of course, to say that the situation was getting _better_ would be a downright lie. Hell, to say things were "bad" would be an utter understatement. Rosette blew out her cheeks in a silent rage, a scowl on her face as she stared out the window in gloomy thought.

_Why were things turning out like this?_ Why was it that Little Chrono was becoming more and more childish, obsessive, and jealous? Why was Big Chrono evolving into this parental, domineering, bossy _thing_? Why was it that they kept drifting further and further apart! She was _sick_ of bedtime stories and bouquets! She just wanted all of this to be over!

. . . As did, it should be mentioned, the rest of the militia— who had recently been assigned to stalk the pair. Much to Sister Kate's horror, the split devil's relationship with, well, himself, had reached the point where the Order's firearms and barriers were the only things that could keep the two from ripping each other (and the convent) apart. Even Rosette's attempts to interfere didn't help. If anything, they only made the case worse.

"Oops! Sorry! I think I tied this one too tight. . ."

"Huh?" the nun gave a jolt of surprise, so lost in her own musings that she'd completely forgotten that there was another person in the room. "Oh. . . oh, no, Azmaria—it feels fine. Thanks, by the way. . ."

"No problem!" Az chirped, snipping off another strip of gauze. "I'm always happy to help!" A pause, the girl's cheerful face falling slightly. "Though, I was wondering: why you didn't ask the— uh— Chrono. . . s. . . to bandage—?"

"Because they'd probably break my wounded arm in the process," Rosette spat angrily, eye twitching as her free hand clenched into a fist around her chin, which her palm had been supporting. "First they'd bicker over who got to choose the ointment, then they'd poke each others' eyes out with the scissors. . ."

The apostle blanched, giggling nervously. "Uh. . . yes. . ." Then she blinked. "Wait a moment— how did this happen, anyway? Sister Kate told me that she'd sent you three out on a mission, but I can't imagine either Chrono letting you get hurt."

A snort. "I didn't get this from an exorcist gig," the teen grumbled, giving her bruised and battered limb and helpless shake. "This is from the battle _after_. . . the Battle of Who Gets to Sit Next to Rosette in the Car." Rosette grunted something foul under her breath. "A battle that ended in us crashing into a damn tree! Now I don't get to drive for another week— even though it's not my fault!"

"Ooo. . ." Az moaned her sympathy, imagining the scene in her head. It went something like this: _Fight, fight, fight, crash, fight, fight, massacre, fight, Kate (scream in horror), fight. . . fight. . . _Not fun. "How awful."

"Yeah," the nun muttered, flexing her uninjured fingers furiously, "and that's not even half of it . . . ! Well, actually," she painted a dark, dry smile upon her face. "I suppose, technically, that it is."

Again, Az looked confused. "What do you mean, not even the—? Oh. . ." The apostle trailed off knowledgeably after following Rosette's gaze and finding it locked on the two devils—who were currently in the middle of a very heated cat-fight (bitch-slapping each other every so often) in a tree outside Rosette's window. Perhaps it was better not to ask what they were doing there. . .

My, my— look, there went Little Chrono now. . . That had to have hurt. _'I wonder if those leaves taste good. . .'_ Azmaria pondered, watching the sealed devil spit out a handful of the stuff. _'Guess not.'_

"I just don't understand, Azzy!" the young woman complained bitterly, changing her snicker into a hacking cough when the child managed to hit his older counterpart smack in the forehead with a green apple, causing BC to topple, swirly-eyed, from the branches as well. "Elder told me that I'm their glue factor, but for all the time we spend together— nothing happens!"

"It _is_ odd," the child agreed shortly, tying the last cloth strip into a small bow. "If anything, they just seem to be. . .be. . . "

"Be?" the blonde pressed, making an irritated noise when Az trailed off. "Be _what_?"

"Well. . ." A swallow. "Drifting further and further apart."

". . ." Silence. Rosette's eyes crinkled and clouded, her lips thinning dangerously. Azmaria stiffened a bit, worried that she might have invoked her "big sister's" rage—

But all the exorcist did was slump, as if deflating. And honestly, that scared Charity more than the prospect of being hit. "Rosette—?"

"You're. . . right." The words were spoken quietly, with more frustration and fury behind them than the little girl had ever heard. Yet the coldness in her tone wasn't directed towards Az— it was aimed at herself. "All I'm doing is making things worse!"

Azmaria paled considerably, terrified by how Rosette was acting. This wasn't like her—! Frantically waving her hands, the pale haired girl attempted to shoo the depression out of the room. "Now, Rosette, I'm sure that's not tr— I mean, I'm sure it's not _all_ of your fa— that is. . ." The pink pooled child made a pathetic sound in the back of her throat, feeling more and more guilty for causing the melancholy look on her best friend's face. Regardless, she took a deep breath and tried one last time; voice louder than before: "I'm sure it's going to be okay, because they both l—!"

"_Hellooooooooooooooooo_!"

"—!" Rosette instantly grew rigid. Good lord. Az, on the other hand, perked up— apparently mildly relieved. "Oh, good! She'll know what to say!"

The nun snarled, shooting Azmaria a withering look that would have made a diamond curl into ashes. "NO!"

Charity whimpered, grinning timidly as she held her clasped hands to her face. "B— but she's all ready h—!"

"Then get her AWA—!"

At that moment, the door slammed open, nearly bouncing out of its hinges as it crashed into the wall. "_**Chrono-baby**, I've _**returned**_ to _**take**_ you _**away**_ with _**me**_, just like **we**_ **promised**!" sang the tall, busty jewel witch who now stood in the doorway, looking positively delighted until—

Her eyes fell on the seething Rosette. "Oh," she drawled, good cheer gone; arms falling to her sides before crossing under her chest; an air of smug superiority clinging to her entire body. "It's you. Well, I suppose the cat's out of the bag—!"

"_Youuuuuuuu_!" Rosette barked, leaping to her feet and charging for the German— but was smartly held back by Az. "Leggo, Azmaria—! And YOU— **YOU** **leave Chrono alone**!"

"Oh? And why should I deny the little cutie the pleasures of a REAL woman?" Satella giggled, a magenta flush dusting itself across her regal cheeks. "He wants it, you know. He tells me so when we're cuddling on the love seat in my villa, warm and cozy and sharing a mug of the finest hot chocolate. . ." The woman began twiddling her thumbs, embarrassed and pleased, while staring dreamily off into the distance. Rosette simply grew angrier.

"THAT'S JUST SOME SHIT YOU PULLED OUT OF YOUR—!"

"Rosette!"

"So what if it is?" the summoner countered airily, examining her fingernails for a moment before sauntering into the bedroom, closing the nearly splintered door with a gentle tap of her foot. "What will YOU do about it?"

The teen was nearly frothing at the mouth by now, watching the woman with sapphire orbs as cold as glaciers. "_Killing you seems like a good idea_," she hissed, finally managing to yank her sleeves out of the apostle's wavering grasp. But even though she was finally free, Rosette didn't do what she promised— for Satella had obviously calmed down, ready to discuss why in hell's name she had shown up in the first place.

"I'll take a rain check," the German snorted, clearly amused at the prospect of _Rosette_ killing _her._ "Right now, I've heard we have a bigger problem." Seating herself gracefully on the very edge of the bed— because she "didn't know what went on there, when no one was looking" (and winked teasingly to water down the flaming fire that suddenly exploded to life on Rosette's enraged face)— Satella flipped her thick hair over her shoulder, lacing her fingers together before cupping one crossed knee. "Ironically enough, about my darling Chrono-honey."

"_He's not yours_," the exorcist grumbled sourly, but sat herself down on the floor just the same— staring expectantly up at her (and she used this term very lightly) friend. "But. . . yes. There is something wrong. Did Elder tell you—?"

"Actually, it was your Sister Kate who called," Satella arched an eyebrow, clearly as surprised as Rosette and Azmaria. Sister Kate did not just call _anybody_, after all. . . Especially not magical, horny cradle-robbers. Usually. This seemed to be an exception. "She spent a good five minutes hysterically shouting something about running out of free militia members and ammo. . . then asked that, since I know more black magic than you, if I could perhaps help put one and two together, so to speak. And it should be said that they offered me a small fortune, but out of love and devotion I'm here at no charge! . . . So I expect nothing but pure cooperation from you." The jewel summoner smirked at the blonde, tapping her nose haughtily. Said blonde retaliated by attempting to bite that finger off.

Both snarled and glared for a few long seconds, but quickly cooled down again. After all, when the business was about Chrono—a Chrono who wasn't even there to see them arguing over him—. . . what was the point in fighting?

"Now, if I understand correctly," Satella started once more, a look of sincere concern on her face, "Chrono has been— for lack of a better phrase— torn in half? The Sinner and the sealed form, right?"

"Yes," Azmaria chimed in helpfully, "and. . . well. . . Rosette, here, is supposed to be the one that can bring them together, but. . ."

"But it's not working." The woman looked as if she was dying to make some sort of comment about this fact— but upon noticing Rosette's expression, fought the urge. "I see. . . Well, I'm sure—being both smarter and more beautiful— that I can think up som—"

"I'm just getting in the way. . . aren't I?"

Both Satella and Az froze, snapping their stares upon Rosette. They had never seen her look so lost and. . . well, pathetic. She was gazing at her bandage with a strange look in her shaded eyes; lips drooping so low that it seemed as if they were about to fall from her face. What was—?

"I don't understand!" she continued to rage when no one answered, his voice soft and yet, too loud; full of bewildered humiliation. "_I don't get it!_ Azzy's right— all I'm doing is making things worse! And I— I don't. . . I can't figure out _why_!" With a muffled sniffle, Rosette pulled her knees to her chin and blew out her cheeks. ". . . I don't even know who Chrono _is_ anymore. . ." she admitted softly, her eyes seeing past events rather than the floor in front of her.

**_True form Chrono snorted, bored. "We do?" he asked monotonously, drumming his fingers to an unheard tune. "Funny. I didn't think so." _**

**_After a moment he swallowed, glancing up at her with watery eyes. "Am I. . . that useless?" he asked, shivering. Fear shone like a fire in his ruby pools; a fear ignited by jealousy and a feeling of worthlessness._**

A harsh swallow. "And. . . all I'm doing is. . ."

She was cut off by a loud, over-dramatic sigh. "What on Earth are you talking about?" Satella inquired in a mildly irritated, slightly concerned fashion. Shaking her head with a light shrug, she snorted. "You make no sense at all!"

"Gr—!" Rosette glowered, snapping a red-hot gaze upon the witch— a gaze swimming with unreleased tears. "I _said_ that Chrono isn't acting— isn't being—! _And now I'm_—!" She hiccuped, furious when the woman rolled her eyes.

"There you go again, making no sense," the gem sorceress tutted, clucking her tongue. "How in God's name can Chrono be acting strangely when he's not even here?"

"Listen, you—!"

"Uh, well, not **right** **now**," Azmaria threw in quickly, striving to keep her "big sister's" temper under control. (It was a very futile attempt, but at least she was trying.) "He's _outside_, right now, obviously. But what she means is—"

"I know what she means," Satella interrupted briskly, insulted by the girl's words. "And I repeat: how can he be acting strangely when he's not even here?"

". . . ?" Both of the younger women were now understandably baffled. "But— yes, he is. There's tw—!"

"Good lord, can you two listen or are those ears just for _show_?" the German cried, leaping to her feet with an annoyed toss of her head. "You told me _yourselves_ that Chrono has been split! So **why** do you keep saying he's _here_? There aren't TWO of him—there's only _ever_ going to be ONE Chrono, and as long as those two **_imposters_** are sneaking around, Chrono isn't going to **be** ANYWHERE, _let_ _alone_ be acting strangely!" Releasing a furious little scream of frustration, Satella opened her mouth to begin fuming some more—

But the words died on her lips when she took a good look at the devil's Contractor. ". . ." A sigh. Her gaze softened, mouth quirking upwards in a small, kind smile. Crouching next to Rosette, she patted her head gingerly, eyes determinedly fixed on the door. ". . . So hurry up and pull him back together, Miss Glue. Because I miss him."

With that, Satella stood, walking towards the door. "Well, I'll be off, then," she twittered perkily, casting one smiling glance over her shoulder as she did so. The nun was watching her strangely, now—with thoughts flashing behind her blue pools. . . . along with a silent thank you. The summoner nodded slightly, grinning her cocky grin. "You two keep working like you have been—and I'll go make some _real_ progress in my private library!" She glanced away, pondering. "Hmm. . . I wonder, if I bound them together with handcuffs and locked them simultaneously on my bed. . ."

Rosette—as suddenly as she'd seemed to slip away—snapped back to life. "WHY YOU—!"

"Hohohoho! Toodles!" the jewel witch cackled, dancing out the door before the nun could scramble to and cock her gun.

And then she was gone.

**X**

"Hi."

Little Chrono flinched, talons nearly cracking as they dug into the coarse rock of the bridge. Trying not to vomit upon processing the unpleasant sounds of the speaker, the sealed devil instead forced a large, phony smile onto his face. "Oh," he bubbled, even his voice sounding fake. He took a large bite of the Granny Smith in his hands. "It's you. And to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Can it," Big Chrono scowled, the bump on his forehead still throbbing; fists clenching in absolute animosity when the child casually offered him a bite of the very recognizable apple. That little—! Taking a calming breath, the Sinner stepped a foot closer, leaning against the granite railing in a similar fashion. Beneath them, the shallow stream trickled merrily, gurgling off to hide in the corners of the convent grounds. "You knew I'd be here, that's why you came."

"Maybe," the smaller demon replied cheerfully, nibbling on a bit of the green fruit's peal. "Or you could have come because I'm here."

"Ugh. . . Does it really matter?" BC groaned, seeing the argument from a mile away. Little Chrono shrugged, staring at the flaming horizon; watching soundlessly as streams of violet and navy stained the edges of the sky. A few stars were poking their way to the surface of the heavens, as well— glimmering dully in the bright sunset. Both sighed, refusing to meet eyes.

Five full minutes of tense silence followed.

". . . I told her about you."

Big Chrono grew rigid, a chunk of rock crumbling in his suddenly tense grip. "_Wh— what was that?_"

"I told Rosette," the sealed one repeated, allowing the core of his apple to land in the tiny stream with a 'sploosh.' "I told her about you—that you're not what you're pretending to be."

The Sinner's face darkened, turning maroon. But from anger or embarrassment. . . . ? "I am _exactly_ what I appear to be! It's YOU that—! That—! You shouldn't act the way you are!"

LC frowned, fingers laced together and squeezing hard; holding himself back. "What do you mean, the way I am? I'm perfectly honest with her. I told her that I love her."

"That's what I'm talking about!" true-form Chrono roared, slamming his palm down on the stone. The whole bridge shook, but the child remained calm. Rather, as calm as he had been before the demon-made, mini earthquake. "You _shouldn't_ love her!"

Eye twitch. "And YOU shouldn't be stealing her Astral!" Little Chrono countered, tossing his plait over his shoulder; jaw set. But after a beat he sighed, lowering his head. ". . . that was below the belt," he admitted grudgingly, sounding slightly remorseful. But only very, _very_ slightly. "I know that's not. . . I. . ."

Big Chrono, who had been standing as still as a statue with a look of self-disgust on his face, relaxed a bit. "'S nothing," he grunted, having to clear his throat from emotion.

". . ."

The evening birds sang.

". . ."

A cricket chirped.

". . . You know you love her," Little Chrono finally whispered, voice soft and cracking and sad. "Why don't y—?"

But he cut himself off with an 'OW! _Dammit—!_' when BC bashed him over the head with that chunk of granite he'd accidentally snapped off. "What the hell was that fo—?"

"I do NOT love Rosette!" the Sinner nearly shrieked, a blush definitely decorating his cheeks now. "I **don't**—! I _can't_—!"

"I GET IT!" LC screamed, eyes watering with pain as he clutched his abused head. Ooo, look, they had matching wounds. How cute.

Blegh.

"**ARGH**— _OKAY_!" the child panted, snapping an icy stare on his doppelganger; dropping his hands, trying to ignore his newly acquired migraine. "Let's just DROP IT! This isn't what we met here for!"

Big Chrono faltered, hesitating. . . before lowering the stone, nodding once to show his consent. Though it went without saying that on the inside, they were muttering _'Although we BOTH know you're a lying bastard. . .'_ "You're right. Lets get this over with."

"Let's."

. . . Of course, this only led to another long span of quietness— one that hung heavily between them like an invisible curtain. Luckily, the Sinner soon sighed. Dropping the rock completely, he leaned heavily against the bridge's hip-high wall, biting his bottom lip. "Azmaria. . . told me that Rosette almost cried, today."

LC shifted uncomfortably, playing with a stray thread hanging from his red jacket. ". . . She told me that, as well. That's why I originally agreed to mee—"

"Me, too."

Both silently gulped, toying nervously with anything they could. Little Chrono eventually grew tired of batting the string and instead grabbed his braid. Big Chrono, on the other hand, who no longer had a braid, began tugging his skeletal tail.

"She wants us to fix ourselves so badly. . ." the child eventually murmured, sounding ashamed. "But I. . . I don't want. . ."

"Neither do I," the other nodded curtly. "Whenever we're together, all we do is. . ."

"I know."

"But. . ." BC continued at a whisper, eyes on the sun as it slipped underneath the earth. "I can't stand to. . . to see her. . ."

". . . Maybe," Little Chrono piped, growing a bit louder; turning to face his other half. "Maybe, if we can prove to her that we can be good while still in two. . . Maybe she'd let us stay this way—!"

". . ." The Sinner blinked, considering. "You mean. . . no more bickering? Or insults? Or mud wrestling matches?"

LC began to nod, then faltered; laughing nervously. "Er, well, an attempt at no more, anyway. That way, we'll all be happy!"

Another moment of thoughtful contemplation rang through the night, followed by a toothy smile. "That's not such an incredibly bad idea," Big Chrono confessed casually, pensively scratching his chin. "Maybe you're _not_ such a dork after all."

The child beamed. "Of course I'm n— **_hey_**!"

"Sorry, sorry," the taller devil waved an apologetic hand—though he didn't seem to mean his word. "I'll start being nice— _you're stupid_— **now**."

"Me— _not as stupid as you_—, too, then," Little Chrono nodded; though his face remained scrunched in poorly hid malice. "Shake on it?"

A smile—just as wide and strained as the other's. "Of course."

But even as they did so, they knew in their shared heart that the contract would not last long. For, if there was one thing that Chrono—whole, split, or in quarters, it didn't matter— would never waver on, it was his promise to protect Rosette. A promise he was still trying to fulfill, despite this 'bump in the road'. The problem _now_ was that he wanted to do that in two different ways.

Mainly by keeping her "safe" from his other half.

And if there was one thing that both Chronos had gotten an equal abundance of during the accident, it was stubbornness.

**X**

**X **

X

_I need an official name for theses Q-n-A sessions—calling them FAQ is so cliché!_

_Q: Where did you get your desktop—you know, the one of sexy vampire Chrono that you were bragging about last chapter?_

_A: I downloaded it from _Believe_, another Chrono Crusade website. It's a very nice one, too—so I encourage all of you to check it out! URL (no spaces): www. chrno crusade . kuroi-hoshi . org/ _

PS. (Another great site: www. journey . aoi-ashita . org/ index . php)

_Q: What color is Chrono's hair when he's in his Sinner form? _

A: Good question—they keep changing it, don't they? In the anime it's purple, like his sealed form. There are also some manga sketches where his hair is purple. On the other hand, his hair is teal, or blue-green, on the opening page of the first manga. And, on the front cover of manga two, it's dark brown. So. . . your guess is as good as mine. It's probably a safe bet to say violet, though.

_Q: Tell us about Chrono/Chrono/Rosette's relationship! How does each feel about her? How does she feel about each of them? Will they go off and make babies together? Tell us, tell us, tell us—we don't care if it spoils the rest of the story! Tell us NOW! _

A: No.

_Q: Why is it taking you **so fricken' long **to update,** you bitch?** _

A: (Sweatdrop) Sorry about that. Last week, as I said, I was in MN. And tomorrow I'm off on a camping trip for a few days. (Don't worry, I'll be writing on my laptop—I just won't be able to post until I get back.) In addition to that, I'm really busy working on Dancing in the Rain_, which, though only a side story, I really enjoy doing. Also— unfortunately—I have a life I gotta live. ;-) So. . . yeah. But I am doing my best here, so please be patient!  
_

NEXT CHAPTER: All right, the Order has had ENOUGH. Unable to tolerate bickering and battles anymore, the Sisters and Brothers kick Rosette, Little Chrono, and Big Chrono out for a day. What's a poor group of exorcists to do?

. . . Did somebody say picnic?

_Well, that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed—please R and R! Ja! _


	8. In Which Many TimeOuts Are Given

_Disclaimer: I'll remember to ask Santa this year. . . _

_Author's Note: I know, I know, I'm an evil chapter-updating nazi. . . I'm sorry. I've been busy with quite a few projects with deadlines (AKA b-day gifts), so I haven't had a lot of time to work on fanfic chapters. Gomen ne!_

_Oh, and before I forget—**I will be out of town the next week, and then in a play the following** so updating will be a little scarce then, too, I'm afraid. I will try my best to update SOMETHING—be it ficlets or oneshots or a chapter—but I won't promise anything. Okay?_

_On a happier note, LOOK OUT TX! XD I'm a comin' down all by my onesie! (To visit my Onee-san for her birthday. XD) XD XD XD I'm so excited! And if any of you are going to be attending the **Ochibi Con** in Houston, look out for me. The plan is to go as Malik from YuGiOh, but we'll see about that. My Onee-san and I are still working out details (she's planning on going as Ishizu, but. . .)._

_That said, please enjoy this chapter. I apologize if it's a bit short, but it's what my outline says, and my outline is what I go by. (Then again, y'all ALWAYS say that the chapter is too short. . . ;) )_

**X **

X

X

DOUBLE TROUBLE

X

_Chapter Seven: In Which Many Time-Outs Are Given (or Threatened)_

X

X

X

In their defense, they really _were_ trying hard.

Rosette muffled a scream with a pillow, trying her best not to yank out another clump of hair. From one corner of the room, Little Chrono chanced a glance in her direction, looking remorseful, just as the Sinner did the same thing from an opposite corner. When their eyes accidentally locked with the others, they turned away (for the fifth time), resting their foreheads against the wall as they had been previously instructed to do.

Time outs.

A 16-year-old had forced possibly the world's most powerful devil—one who happened to be over 100 years her senior—into a TIME OUT. In the CORNER. Just when the two had believed their pride couldn't be damaged any worse. . . they'd been wrong.

Big Chrono sighed, shifting uncomfortably. _'I can still remember a time when I would have to force Rosette and Joshua to do this. . . I really was a bastard, wasn't I? This sucks!'_

And suck it did. However, it _was_ a well-deserved punishment— those windows _had_ been over two centuries old. (People sure didn't know how to make glass back then. . .) But even disregarding that. . . they had broken their promises to each other.

Again.

Which was particularly frustrating considering things had been going so well. Yes, the two halves soon learned that—once they put aside their differences—they were nearly identical. (Funny how that tends to happen with clones.) They could agree on what to eat and where to go; good comebacks and favorite weapons; how best to keep Azmaria's dust mite allergies in check and the proper way to clean the Elder's windows.

In fact, the only thing they _couldn't_ agree on was Rosette. Which was ironic, considering she was the whole reason they decided to try and be nice in the first place. Still—no matter how polite or gracious they attempted to act, someone always ended up with something injured. Once in a while that someone was even Rosette herself, though in that case the wound tended to be 'broken nail' or something equally as trivial. (Not that Rosette "getting hurt" was ignored— oh no, quite the opposite. A single _hair_ lost from the top of her head was as good of a reason as any to start World War II, in the Chronos' righteous opinion.)

Pealing her face away from her cushion, said Sister chanced a slow glance towards each demon; subconsciously chewing her new broken nail. She was in deep shit. . . and she knew it. Those windows cost the convent a small fortune, and now they were nothing more than wind chime material. Kate was going to kill her on her devils' behalf!

. . . Though, she had to admit—she was a bit impressed with the Chronos' handwork. In less than two weeks, they'd managed to break her own record (almost literally) when it came to smashing Magdalene Order possessions. Who'd have ever thought that the head nun could be more furious than she was that one time Rosette managed to turn 3 cars into tin cans in less than 2 hours time?

Speaking of time. . . Rosette glanced towards the wall clock. "All right. . ." she grunted, pulling her knees to her chin and staring coldly at each boys' back in turn, "it's been 5 minutes. Now PLEASE—stay out of trouble. At _least_ until after breakfast—or I'm going to SKIN YOU ALIVE!"

Little Chrono whimpered, casting his Contractor a tearful glance over his shoulder; trembling_. 'Maybe it would be safer just to stay in the corner. . ._' His doppelganger appeared to be having the same thoughts; straightening uncomfortably and attempting to find his voice.

It never failed to amaze him how such a little girl (well, in his eyes, anyway) could strike such fear in his heart when she wanted to. . . the sealed devil watched his other self with pursed lips. It was almost like having a really screwed up out-of-body experience. . . Was he always that pathetic looking?

Oh well.

Massaging her temples with the tips of her fingers, the nun attempted to find and hold her last threads of patience and sanity. "All right. . ." she began after a moment, hopping to her feet and looming over the quivering pair from on top of her bed, "this is the deal. I'm off to see Sister Kate— who IS, I should inform you, much better after the doctors pumped her stomach. Said something about taking too many headache pills— because of you two. Be prepared for SERIOUS consequences when I get back IF I GET MY DRIVING PRIVALAGES TAKEN AWAY AGAIN!"

Flames seemed to shoot from her eyes and mouth as she screamed; the demons cowered obediently, nodding. One could almost see imaginary doggie ears plastered to their heads in fright. In response, Rosette slapped on a very fake, painful looking smile. "Good," she finished in clipped tones. "Now—go clean the bathroom and iron my clothes."

"Yes ma'am!" both peeped.

"And do the windows and floors, too—they're a mess," their tamer commanded, hands firmly placed on her hips.

"We don't do wi— (Sparks crackled in her seething glare.) er, I mean, yes ma'am!"

"And I want no more whining or fighting, do you hear!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good." Feet connecting with the hard floor after a small leap, Rosette stormed out of her bedroom, heard to be muttering: "Remind me NEVER to have kids. . ."

". . ." Little Chrono shot a baffled glance towards his taller double. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The Sinner said nothing for a moment, squeezing into a rocking chair and pulling out a pink, frill-covered sewing kit. Fixing a thimble upon his thumb (or, rather, trying to—it was hard to do with his talons), he shrugged, blowing out his cheeks. "I have no idea."

**X**

Rosette had truly, honestly, and undoubtedly never been more scared of Sister Kate than she was right now. And not because Sister Kate was screaming. Nor because she had Rosette in a chokehold. Nor even because she was pointing a Special Exorcist .45 at her own head, like she'd done last week.

No, it was because she _wasn't_ doing any of those things. And. . . because she was smiling.

Which was very odd to see— not only because of the circumstances, but because the blonde had rarely ever seen the good sister smile. The only times she had were. . . well, flukes, to be honest. Or when she'd accidentally overdosed on her stomach medications. So when Rosette walked into the woman's office with wringing hands and a twisting gut to find a beaming Sister Kate. . . ?

Her immediate reaction was to call for a doctor. (Or begin praying, because apparently the apocalypse was near.)

"No, Sister Rosette, I can assure you that I feel perfectly fine," Kate informed lightly, though her smooth brow puckered a bit at the words Rosette had used to ask her question. "It appears that the Elder's daughter's husband's best friend's hairdresser's nephew knows a man who knows another man who can repair the windows for nearly a fourth of the cost of getting new ones, so—"

The teen exorcist blew out her cheeks, feeling a bit of tension leave her. "Well, that's—" A beat. "The Elder has a _daughter_?"

"—all's well that ends well, I suppose." The older nun laced her fingers together, placing her chin upon them. "However, it has come to the attention of the Order as a whole that we all need a little. . . er. . . time apart. . ."

Rosette shook her head, eyes wide with disbelief. "The ELDER has a DAUGHTER?" No freakin' way!

". . . ergo, I'm afraid I must ask that the three of you—"

Snapping her face up, the blonde pierced her superior with a pensive glare. "We ARE talking about the same Elder, aren't we?"

Kate's eye gave a twitch, subconsciously chucking a pen at Rosette's head. (It was a natural reflex, after all of their other meetings.) The tip wedged itself in her golden bangs, dripping ink down her face; looking more like black blood than anything else. "YES!" the head Sister barked, irritated at the lack of respect and attention she was shown. "YES we ARE talking about the same Elder, and YES he has a DAUGHTER! It was before he joined our Order—she's nearly my age—so would you let it GO?"

Rosette colored indignantly, the dark liquid seeping down her face nearly broiling. "That NASTY pervert. . . !"

With a groan, the brunette deflated, grasping her headdress with clenching fingers. "We're not going to get anywhere at this rate! Oh— formalities be damned! Rosette, you and. . . and those DEVILS— you're OUT of here!"

Silence, harsh words echoing off of the cold stone walls.

The teen stiffened, suddenly completely enraptured with Kate's words; dropping the fingers she'd been counting on. (What she'd been counting will never be known. . . for she soon forgot, so shocked she was by this announcement.) "Wha—WHAT?" she yelped, paling. "You're kicking us out! You—you CAN'T do that you b—!"

"Only for the rest of the day," Kate finished, gaze narrowing, full of warnings concerning the end of that sentence. "AT LEAST until sunset. We need a chance to fix the damage that's already been done _before_ anything else happens."

Though the adrenaline heat that had replaced her blood moments before began to slow and cool, the girl couldn't help but continue to look confused and wary. "But. . . what should we do?" she inquired a bit flatly, finally wrenching the pen out of her tresses. "Where should we go? We'd kind of be noticed in town, with their looks and all. . ."

The older nun ground her teeth, kneading her forehead and looking much more like Sister Kate _should_—annoyed. "I honestly don't care anymore," the woman grunted curtly, nearly causing the lip she was biting to bleed. "Take them to the market, the stores, the woods, the park, the amazon—just get them OUT OF HERE! AND—!

. . . and . . ." She hesitated, softening slightly at the look on Rosette's face. ". . . And Sister Rosette," she sighed, trying to relax in her hard wooden chair, "try to have fun, while you're out. I know this has been hard on you, too. And who knows? Maybe a change in scenery will help them reconnect."

". . . !" Upon hearing these words, the blonde seemed to perk up—blue pools brightening as a thought struck her. "Yes. . . If I can. . . good memories and. . . " she started murmuring, more to herself than anyone else. "That's it!" Straightening, she locked an excited gaze with Kate's fatigued own. "Sister Kate—can I borrow a basket?"

**X  
**

"How much farther. . . ?"

Rosette hummed happily, nearly skipping; fingers laced behind her back as she reached the summit of the third hill overlooking the crisp forest—the forest that reminded her of Michigan. "Just a little ways," she sang, all smiles and sunshine; oblivious to the panting gasps of the two Chronos laboring under bushels of food and bags of books and toys. (Hey, sunset was a loooong time to hang out.) "I want to be able to see the lake from where we stop."

"There's a lake up here?" the Sinner inquired with a groan, back hunched as he attempted to lug both his dying doppelganger and his dying doppelganger's 50 pounds of stuff. (Needless to say, it was hard.) Rosette grinned, taking a deep, calming breath of fresh air.

"I think so. . . can't remember. Oh well. If there's not, we'll just keep walking until we find another place to go!"

Another. . . oh God. . . Both boys barely managed to keep from sobbing. "Can't. . . move. . . anymore. . ." Little Chrono wheezed, trying to push himself up the hill with his feet; his double yanking at his arms. "Can't—breathe—!"

"Dammit," Big Chrono grunted, doubling over as they reached the top of the small mountain. Rosette was already on her way down. . . "This brings back. . . unpleasant memories. . ."

". . ." the child snorted, apparently wanting to smile but deciding it would be too much work. "Tell me. . . about it. . . Remember when she insisted we give both her and Joshua piggy back rides home from our picnics at the cave?"

The Sinner tried to laugh, but it came out as a cough. Falling to his rear, he willed his heart to slow a bit. "Yeah. . . but at least she was carrying her own food, then. And it wasn't as bad as that time she made us search the entire forest for her doll, only to find that—"

"—she'd left it on her bed," sealed Chrono finished with a quiet chuckle, having previously collapsed; eyes on the sky. A soft breeze ruffled through, playing with his sweaty bangs. "God, she even made us crawl through those damn thistles. It took me a month to finally pick them all off!"

Big Chrono shivered, cringing. "I still have nightmares."

"About what?"

"—!" The two devils froze, braids nearly standing on end as their Contractor's face slipped into view, creased with perplexity and narrowed in suspicion. "R—Rosette!"

". . ." She glowered, crossing her arms as the pair straightened. "You two were talking about me, weren't you?"

Little Chrono blanched for a few moments before plastering on a thousand-watt smile. "Of course not!" he chirped, jumping to his feet and grabbing the girl's hand. He cast his other self a glance from over his shoulder, shrugging in half-apology at the expression his actions created on the Sinner's face. "We were just taking a res— (he cleared his throat, duly noting the look she cast him)— that is, we just thought the view here was too good to pass up! So. . . shall we stay here?"

He pouted slightly, sparkling ruby eyes widening with a watery sweetness that should have been declared both a lethal weapon and highly illegal. Rosette flushed slightly, wrenching her hand from his; hanging her head during an unexplainable wave of shame caused by the gaze the true devil was piercing her with. "Er— oh, whatever," she snapped, frustrated to find that her insides were turning to jelly once more. But why! And who was making them feel like that? "But only 'cause you two are so lazy you'd probably get a heart attack if you tried walking anymore."

Plopping on the edge of hill so that her feet were slopping downwards, the nun leaned back on her fists and closed her eyes; allowing the wind to play with her hair. . .

. . . and allowing the demons to converse in heated whispers behind her back.

"_What the hell was that?_" Big Chrono snapped in an undertone, giving the smaller boy's lapel a sharp tug. "I thought we agreed—!"

"To try to get along," the other replied curtly. "And we have been! _What is WRONG with you?_ All I did was save ourselves from possible lung pop-age!"

"Yeah," the tawny pooled man snarled, said eyes flashing, "by _playing on Rosette's hormones_, you cake eater! What the fuck was up with that cute act, eh? You little worm!"

Sealed Chrono drew himself up to his full height (which was about to his clone's hips), spitting with rage. "_I am not a worm!_" he hissed. "If anything, YOU are! I saw that look you had when we were talking about Rosette when she was younger—you even liked her then, you— you—!"

"Anything you call me," the Sinner warned with a dry smirk, "applies to yourself, as well. So you better choose your next words wisely."

"Yooooou—!" The child shook a threatening finger, fury crackling in his veins. "You are a **_nechropedophiliac_**!"

". . ." Adult Chrono simply blinked at him; though the red rush of anger was beginning to tint his tanned cheeks. "Okay, now you're just making words up!"

A stab of hurt. "I am not!" Small Chrono barked, their voices growing louder and louder; Rosette's eyes jamming more tightly shut. Hands squeezed the grass, accidentally clawing up dirt.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

(Good thing no food was out yet, or this could have seriously gotten messy. . .)

"Are too!"

"Am n—!"

"DO I NEED TO SEND YOU TO YOUR CORNERS!" the Sister roared, her icy tone slicing through the argument like a knife. Both devils silenced themselves with small shakes of their heads, turning to look in opposite directions as their tamer spun around, scooting towards them with a scrunched face.

"Good. . ." she breathed slowly, clenching the free material of her habit. "You know, let's just skip admiring the scenery. . . and playing with the cards I brought. . . I'm kind of hungry." Grabbing the basket Sister Kate had lent her from the small Chrono's huge sack, Rosette began rifling pointedly through its contents; eyes glued on the dark depths. Clearing her throat once or twice, she fished out three apples, six sandwiches, and was working on a few cookies when Big Chrono decided to take advantage of her distracted state.

"I am NOT a nechropedophiliac or whatever it is you called me. I'm just looking out for Roset—"

"Please," the boy blew a silent raspberry, "you're just too afraid to admit to yourself AND to Rosette that yo—"

"STOP IT."

They grew rigid for a second time, a strange iciness rushing through their veins upon processing Rosette's voice. But not, this time, because she had overheard them talking—nor even because she sounded enraged.

No, this time their horror was due to the broken quality of her tone; the rasping harshness of her brisk command.

"Just _stop it,_" the exorcist whispered, fists having slowed to a halt; face bowed slightly. "I'm SICK of hearing you two throw my name around like it's some sort of ball or plaything. I'm SICK of being the reason behind all of the accidents in the Order, even when I'm not the one breaking things! And I'm SICK of seeing you two fight because of— ! Because of. . ."

She trailed off, muttering darkly under her breath about something flying into her eye; a few fingers darting up to try and scrub it out.

_No_. . . _way_. . . was she—? Good lord. . . !The Sinner gaped, as did the sealed devil, freaking out inside but attempting to remain calm on the surface. Reaching out identical, trembling hands they grasped opposite shoulders—only to have their warmth pushed away. "Roset—"

"**_I said stop_**!" the blonde roared, snapping upon them the most ferociously pathetic glare they'd ever seen. Her great azure pools, glassy with unreleased tears, glimmered with animosity and self-loathing, fear and fury. "I don't want to hear you two talking about me anymore! I don't want to be the reason you hate!"

". . ." Both stared at her for a long moment, emotionless and stunned.

And then—simultaneously— they leaned forward and wrapped their arms around her, shocking her into a conscious coma. "—!" Rosette felt a gasp wedge itself in her throat, processing the feel of the two pairs of strong, gentle arms wrapped securely around her body. It was certainly a strange sensation. . . but not unpleasant.

"Ch. . . Chrono. . ."

"Don't talk like that. . ." the child breathed after another hushed minute, face buried in the nape of her neck. "Don't ever talk like that!"

The Sinner nodded his agreement. "You could never be the reason _anyone_ hates— let alone the reason _we_ hate. . ."

". . ." She didn't say anything; only closed her eyes and allowed herself to drown in the warmth around her. A breeze danced through, bringing the late afternoon clouds with it.

_'No. . ._' they thought; time ticking by, '_You could never be the reason we hate, Rosette. . .'_

Behind her back, two sets of hands flickered; fading and molding together for a brief, passing minute.

'. . . because you're too busy being the reason we love.'

**X**

**X **

X

_All right, what to call this. . . how about the SPELLING IT OUT section. XD Kidding, kidding. . ._

_Q: Last chapter, you called Az 'Charity' a few times. In case no one has told you before, her name is spelt: 'A-Z-M-A-R-I-A'._

_A: Ah, yes, thank you for that! But I called her Charity on purpose. It's a pet peeve of mine (in my own writing—I don't mind it so much in other peoples' stuff) to call a character by their name too many times in a row. Sometimes I shorten it (like 'Az'), or use descriptive words ('pale locked girl'), or nouns, in Az's case ('apostle'). Some people complain about it, but whatcha gonna do? It's just how I write. Anyway, because Az is the apostle of charity, I decided to call her that once or twice. (Wow, long paragraph for such a simple explanation. Sorry. . .) _

_Q: If I bribe you, will you update faster? Or will a new chapter be posted sooner if I threaten you? _

A: I write when I'm inspired. Sometimes, yes, inspiration comes from a looming deadline (coughcough), but more often than not it happens spontaneously—like from a walk I take or something. Other times, I'll just wake up and say: "Gee, I feel like writing (fill in the blank) today!". In short, you can do either until you're blue in the face—it probably won't help much. (Though, I have to add, bribing in the forms of fanart and kind reviews sometimes spark inspiration, whereas threats just irk me. XD)

_Q: Out of the two Chronos—lecherous, kawaii LC or overprotective, parental-and-in-denial BC— which do you like more? _

A: Romantically or writing about? Let's see. . . Honestly, I like writing about both. LC is so cute—always leaping around and being hyper and lovable—but it's equally fun to make BC all serious and somber and cool. Romantically, I guess I'm with Satella on this one—I love Chrono. And Chrono's not here right now. Both halves of him are great, but I like neither as much as the unified Chrono. XD

**_BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL BE ASKED:_**

_Q: Dude. You said 'World War II' in this chapter. Didn't you mean 'World War III'? _

A: No. I meant WWII. Since WWII hadn't happened yet during this time period, that's the number they'd have used.

_Q: Does the Elder REALLY have a daughter? _

A: No, not to my knowledge. I just thought it would be a fun idea to play with. XD

_  
_NEXT CHAPTER: Things are still not looking good. Why won't the two Chrono's unite? _They_ know the full reason why, but nobody else. . . until the Elder spells it out. Platonic or passion, which will it be?

_Until next time—keep on smiling. XD I love you all!_

_Ja ne!_


	9. Shooting the Messenger

_Disclaimer: Chrono belongs to Rosette, and unfortunately, she's too greedy to share! T.T _

_Author's Note: Um. . . hi? (runs away screaming from angry readers)_

_I KNOW! This update is L ONG overdue, you don't have to tell me. And I'm really sorry—though I know that's no excuse. Yes, I admit it, I lost my inspiration on this one for a while. It'd been so long since I'd had a good Chrono Crusade fix. . . but now that I've gotten to read volume 7, I'm back on the trolley! XD_

_So here you go, my lovelies._

_. . . please don't hate me._

**X **

X

X

DOUBLE TROUBLE

X

_Chapter Eight: Shooting the Messenger  
_  
X

X

X

Chrono Catastrophe log, day— day. . . oh, who knew anymore? Certainly not the sisters. The hours and days had begun to blend together; memories bleeding from one frame of mind to the next. Had it been a week? A month? Perhaps a year?

Too long, in any case. And because of this—the tedium of recurring insanity—, a blanket of pure exhaustion had draped itself over the Order and its inhabitants. A blanket that made the sisters think of cloudy days. . . rain. . . or (heaven forbid!) a chance to sleep in.

They were simply _tired._

Yet, surprisingly, everyone awoke to sunshine that morning. Bright, gorgeous sunshine. Again, the weather seemed to defy emotional stimuli. But perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing, this time— as it was one of those rare days where the weather is so very beautiful, all of the universe's problems (even _theirs_) seemed to float away on the breeze. After all, how could anything be wrong with the world when the clouds were so fluffy, the grass so green, the s—

"**_WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?_**"

"Eep!" Mary yelped in surprise, dropping the pile of books in her arms as the horrified scream echoed through the bright blue sky. "Jeepers creepers!"

Anna—who's feet had only just reconnected with the ground after jumping a mile— choked, whipping her head in the direction of the source. Judging by the trembling walls and windows, it looked as if it came from the Elder's cabin. . . "What _was_ that?" she gasped, brown eyes wide. "It sounded like. . . ?"

"Rosette, of course," Claire murmured softly, the only one of the three who did not seem phased by the sudden screeching. Instead, she bent down and began retrieving the fallen Bibles and instruction manuals, calmly casting the nearby house a glance. It was easy to spot from the open-air walkway; covered in vines and a now-loosened roof. "Who else?"

"I dunno. . ." the blonde chewed on her thumbnail for a few moments, mildly disturbed by the unnatural silence now sweeping the lawns. "It could have been Chrono—or, uh, Chrono— . . . if the voice hadn't been so feminine, anyway. What do you think is going on?"

"Not sure," Anna replied with a grunt, hefting up her box of holy relics once again, "but whatever it is, I wouldn't fancy being the Elder right now. . ."

The other two nodded with small shivers, about to continue on their way—when Claire paused, looking a bit puzzled.

"Speaking of Chrono and Chrono, though. . ." she breathed, sounding rather baffled, "where are they?"

**X**

The inquisition, it turned out, had been a good one, considering that—until just about nine minutes and three point four seconds ago—Rosette had been wondering the very same thing. In fact, in an attempt to find the answer to said question, she had made her way rather swiftly to the Elder's. But though she found an answer, it hadn't been the one she was looking for. . .

Well, that was understandable, considering it hadn't even pertained to the inquiry at hand.

"Elder. . . ? Hello. . . ?" she had called loudly, throwing the door open without even knocking once. Her words echoed strangely, punctured only by the frantic clacking, clicking, and scratching of a piece of chalk on a blackboard from somewhere far away. The girl frowned, irritated that she had not been answered. "Elder?" she repeated a little more firmly, stepping into the cool threshold of the house. A hand moved to cup her mouth; she raised her voice another notch. "Hey, Elder, you listening? I was wondering if you'd seen either Chrono."

The distant noises came to a sudden stop. "Chrono. . . ?" came a quiet wheeze; thoughtful, and yet, curious. From the lab.

Rosette, scowling, began to march forward. "Yes, Chrono!" she snapped, just in case the old coot had been talking to her. "I asked you if you'd seen either one! It's the shorter one's turn to help me with chores, and—"

But instead of finishing her complaint, the exorcists' voice trailed off upon turning the corner to enter the room; it was stuffed with chalkboards. So many, in fact, that she had to squeeze past four just to find the Elder and an empty place to stand. "Good God!" she squeaked, taking in the scientist's appearance with wide eyes. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days; his clothes were rumpled and his face sagging, face and hands completely covered in white dust. It came with no surprise, either: the blackboards before him were so stuffed with chalked squiggles, notes, and formulas, that one could barely see the black background anymore. Rosette (who'd never been very good at math or science) felt her head begin to spin.

"What the hell are you doing?" she murmured, perplexed and a little worried. She cast the man beside her a concerned glance (for he hadn't even noticed that she was in her skimpy militia robes,) before sitting lightly on a lab table and drinking in the sight. "What's going on?"

Elder, however, rather than reply, only continued to mutter things under his breath: "Can't be true . . . but. . . makes no sense. . . still, he. . . maybe . . . molecular body chemistry? . . . no. . ." The older gentleman scowled, jotting a few more notes on the board, seemingly oblivious to the mere presence of the other. (Said other did not find this very amusing.) "But then. . ."

Rosette growled, not one to be ignored. Consequently. . . "**_HELLO_**!" she roared, slamming her fist (none too gently) against the scientist's capped head.

"!" The Elder straightened with a jolt, whipping swiftly around. "Rosette?" he gawked, rubbing his tired eyes. "What're you—?" A pause; a gasp. And suddenly, his zest for life returned with a start. "Rosette! That's it! I've solved it!"

She gifted him with a flat stare. ". . . yea?"

"Oh, it most certainly _is_ a 'yea'!" he replied exuberantly, apparently unaware of the finer points of sarcasm. "Because now—now we can finally glue those two devils back together!"

_That_ caught the blonde's drifting attention. Straightening hastily, she cast the chalkboards another curious stare. "You do?" she then demanded, irritated by the older man's now-knowing smile. "Well, tell me, dammit!"

It should be said that if the other sisters were weary of this charade, Rosette was already comatose.

"All in good time, my dear," the Elder assured, clapping his hands together to create something of a smokescreen, carefully maneuvering his way out of the maze of blackboards. Rosette closely pursued, piercing gaze following him as he quickly wiped off the rest of the chalk dust, making himself a snack in the kitchen. "All in good time! But first, allow this old man a nibble or two." His fingers twitched in _that way_.

". . . I hope—for your sake—you mean of food. Because otherwise, I'm really going to have to kill you, this time."

He laughed (albeit a bit disappointedly), and nodded, raking his hands through his wild hair. "I'm not suicidal," he assured, pouring and downing a cup of cold tea in less than a minute. "And anything you don't do to me, your Chronos will." Offering Rosette a seat at his mess-encrusted table (which she declined with a wave of her hand), the inventor ripped off a chunk of stale scone with his teeth—chewed and swallowed—then began quickly doodling stick figures on a napkin. "And they will keep doing so, unless we get them to merge again."

Rosette nodded, feeling the warning throb of an approaching migraine. "That's what I'm now asking how to do. And you just said you'd figured out how to do that."

Elder scowled. "I have. Give me a chance for a dramatic build up, here!"

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry."

"That's better. Now, as you know, the Glue Factor for a split creature is the one person, place, thing, or idea that both halves feel the same way for. In the case of myself, it was pretty girls. Remington, it seems, was harboring now-not-so-secret feelings for Sister Kate. As for Chrono. . ." –He smirked when Rosette blushed brightly, opening her mouth to deny whatever he was about to say—

"It seems he has no Glue Factor."

. . . The girl's jaw, which had already been slackened, dropped.

"W—what?" Rosette finally managed to choke out, falling into a chair across from the old man's with a dull 'thud'. "NO Glue Factor? So he's stuck this way fo—?"

"Of _course_ not," the Elder snorted, apparently offended. "Do you think I'd actually leave you all to that horrible fate? Inconceivable; I'd be fired! No, no Chrono seems to be lacking a Glue Factor.

But we can _MAKE_ him one."

He grinned widely, as if awaiting applause for this ingenious discovery. But by the look on her face, the inventor could tell he had already lost his young friend. _'Kids._'

"All right, I'll try again," he sighed laboriously, gesturing to his napkin doodles. They depicted a door, one stick figure labeled Chrono, an arrow showing said stick go through the door, then the figure splitting. "Now, on the day in question, Chrono was apparently deep in thought—at least, before entering my house. Judging by the marks you can now see on my door, those thoughts included quite a bit of head-bashing. I can only assume he was having one of his many internal struggles. Teen angst and all, you know."

Rosette arched an eyebrow, having latched onto a detail. "Many?" she repeated, apparently concerned. "Over what?"

The Elder smiled slightly, but didn't elaborate. "After collecting his thoughts, he obviously entered and—thank God—shut the door. That was when the _Doppelganger 1000_ malfunctioned."

"I think you mean **exploded**."

"After the damage had been determined," the man continued (a little more loudly), "I promptly tried to discover the cause. Remington 2 and my clone were easy enough to explain, but the Sinner and sealed Chronos? In the end, I marked it to his differing body chemistry and left it at that. And I was right in that assumption. . . I just didn't carry it far enough." Blowing out his cheeks, he leaned back in his chair and helped himself to another mouthful of scone. "The breakdown didn't just rip his body and mind in two—_it tore his emotions in half, as well_."

Cold dread—a close friend—began to paw at the girl's stomach for the umpteenth time, refusing to let go. "Meaning. . . ?" she ordered, knuckles whitening as she clenched her skirts, comprehension dawning as the dots connected. _'Oh NO. . . you CANNOT be serious._'

The Elder (as if having read her thoughts) nodded, realizing that she now understood. "Meaning that—though his love for you was great enough to be shared by both, the two love you in very different ways. The one we call 'Little' Chrono apparently wants to be your mate, while his 'big' counterpart still views you as the orphan he befriended back at Seventh Bell: perhaps even as his own child."

Rosette swallowed thickly, trying not to dwell on how _wrong_ that all sounded. "And so. . . when you say we need to MAKE his Glue Factor. . . ?"

". . ." The old man grinned like the lech he was, failing to contain a cackle. "You're either going to have to seduce the Sinner, or cool down the Sealed."

Silence. (The nun stared at him, blankly, like a doll.)

And then—

"**_WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?_**"

**X**

_What was she going to do?_

Rosette paced incessantly outside the hospital wing, waiting for Sister Kate's return; she had left to make sure the Elder was still breathing after the beating he had so recently obtained. (The blonde exorcist's fists stung, but she ignored the pain. It had been worth it.)

"This is SO not funny," she grumbled, glaring at the ceiling. She was sure God must be having a great time up there, making her life miserable. "_And what did I ever do to you?_"

"Perhaps it's what you _haven't_ done," remarked a cool, calmly furious voice from behind her. (Rosette barely managed to hold in a groan as she turned around.) Sister Kate glared down her nose at the younger girl, dark eyes flashing behind her glasses. "In addition to the many other things we now must discuss, I hear you've been skipping out on mass again, Sister Rosette."

"Sorry," the nun retorted dryly, shoulders slumped in irritation. She _really_ wasn't in the mood for this. "You know how my gang gets when I keep them waiting."

Kate prickled, drawing herself up to her full height. "Sister Rosette! How dare you even THINK things like that! That is entirely inappropriate!"

"Yeah," Rosette agreed lazily, clearly feeling obnoxiously rebellious, "but what have I ever done that wasn't?"

The abbess scowled. "Come with me, young lady."

And when she spun loftily, marching in the direction of her distant office, Rosette had no choice but to follow.

**X**

"Have you ever heard the phrase 'don't shoot the messenger'?"

It was nearly 4 o'clock in the afternoon, now; but though the sun remained bright and it's cheerful rays seemed all-too-happy to reach through Sister' Kate's huge glass windows, their warmth fell short of the glowering Sister Rosette—who gave a jerky nod upon processing the inquisition, irked by her superior's patronizing tone.

"Then why did you beat the Elder to within an inch of his life?" Kate asked with an exasperated sigh, tenting her fingers and resting her drained chin upon them. "I know he's not mad at you—and that he probably, on some level, deserved what you dished out. But it's not like you to be so hard on him, even after he does something scandalous. What could he have possibly said to you to make you so irate?"

Rosette's grimace didn't falter as she dropped herself into a chair. "Do you want a list?"

The head nun's thin lips pursed. "Rosette," she warned. "I'm trying to be fair about this. I know things have been twice as hard for you as they have been everyone else. I'm worried about you. We all are. But I can't help you unless you let me."

"I'd rather talk to Azmaria," the teen returned, though not as acidic-sounding as she might have liked. Instead, she sounded worn out— and somewhat pathetic. Kate seemed to soften slightly, but shook her head.

"Azmaria is out on a mission," she replied briskly, shuffling a few papers around on her desk. "I don't expect her back until tomorrow morning. I don't mind if you wait to talk to her, but in the meantime I will NOT have you taking out your anger on anyone else—not even the Chronos. Do I make myself clear?"

Rosette's head dropped another inch. "Yes ma'am," she grumbled, moving as if to stand—

Before pausing, mind screaming that she'd overlooked an important detail in the conversation: '_Wait a minute—did she say that she was worried about me, just now?_' And upon looking back, it seemed that she had. Rosette blinked at this, as if confused by this revelation—the revelation that the abbess did, in fact, care about her. Which had been obvious from the start of her time at Magdalene Order, of course, but. . . never had Rosette stopped to think that maybe—with all of her life experience—Kate might have something to say that was worth listening to. Perhaps she did now? '_She seems to be trying to help. . . in her own way. . ._' Looking up, Rosette cast Sister Kate a strange glance—as if she was seeing the older woman in a new light.

Kate noticed this with a flustered double-take. "Yes?" she then pressed, setting aside her letters with a furrowed brow.

And before she could stop herself, the blonde felt the words pouring from her mouth.

"_TheEldersaidthatifIwantChronotogobacktonormal,IhaftamaketheSinnerfallinlovewithmeorlittleChronofalloutoflovewithmeandIdon'tknowwhattodo!"_

. . . The head nun faulted. "P—pardon?"

Rosette, suddenly unable to keep from wringing her hands, stood; once more pacing back and forth; trying her best to intelligently repeat herself. "The Elder," she finally managed, though weakly— nails biting into her own palms, "he said that if I want Chrono to go back to normal, I have to make the Sinner fall in love with me. But I don't want to do that! That would involve. . . you know. . ." She clawed her at her skirts in embarrassment. "But if I don't do that, I have to make Little Chrono fall OUT of love with me. How would I do that? I'd have to be so mean and—and I CAN'T hurt him. I _never _could! And so— I don't know what to do!"

Sister Kate, clearly taken aback by this abrupt confession, stared at her for a long moment— then pushed carefully away from her desk; leaning back in a thoughtful manner. "Fall in love with you? Fall out of love with you?" she echoed, flabbergast. "But why?"

"His feelings were split in the explosion, too," Rosette murmured, dejected. "That's what Elder told me. And that both halves love me, but in different ways. So if I ever want Chrono to unite, I've got to get him to love me the same way—either platonically or passionately." The girl flashed wide, sparkling blue eyes at the abbess, so uncharacteristically frightened that Kate was temporarily spellbound. "I don't know what to do, Sister Kate! I don't want to. . . but then, I don't— I just don't know!"

". . ." Kate pondered this, patiently. Then, leaning forward, she gently summarized. "So, essentially, this has come down to a question of your own feelings, hasn't it?"

Rosette, blanching, nodded; sinking weakly into her chair once again. She looked like a child—a lost, terrified child.

The abbess watched her for another long minute, as if waiting for her to continue the conversation. When she didn't, Kate frowned, gingerly pressing the question. "Do you love him?"

The blonde's clammy cheeks flared, but for once—thank goodness—she didn't react violently. Yes, it appeared that fatigue had finally overcome her; she simply dropped her gaze and gulped. "I. . . I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I guess I've. . . never really thought about that before." And it was clear that she didn't want to think about it now.

Regardless, Sister Kate felt her mouth quirk upwards, forming a serene, tender grin. Standing softly, the older woman walked over to the teenager and allowed a comforting hand to fall upon her shoulder. Rosette looked up, surprised—both by the action, and by the wise smile.

"Then _don't_ think about it," Kate advised with an amused chuckle. "Love isn't meant to be analyzed. Just let your heart do the talking. . . and I think you'll know what it's been trying to tell you all along." The abbess removed her lingering touch, gliding to and opening the door. As she slipped out, a stunned Rosette heard her add: "After all, you've been acting on it for the past four years—

You just need to let your brain catch up."

A beat.

She poked her head back in. "Oh, and you've 'earned' yourself kitchen duty for the next week."

The door snapped shut again before the raging blonde could protest.

**X**

**X **

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_-FAQ-_

_1: _

_Q: "What the hell happened to you! Why didn't you update for so long?" _

A: One, like I said, I lost inspiration for a while. Mostly because volume 7 took SO LONG to come out. . . also, because I fell in love with other series, and wanted to a bit of writing for them. Thirdly, because of family reasons. My parents are in the middle of divorcing, and my mom needs my help around the house and stuff. We're also in the process of moving, so there's a lot of chaos around here.

Still, I'd hate me, too, if I left myself with such horrible cliffies for so long. (sweatdrop)

_2: _

_  
Q: "Nechropedophiliac. Awesome word, but are you aware it means that someone likes having sex with dead kids? Did LC really mean that, or was he just throwing a word together?" _

A: Ah, the necropedophiliac remark. I was pretty proud of that.

_I originally threw that in as a shout-out to my friend Lessa; it's an inside-Chrono-Crusade-joke. We use it to describe Chrono. So yes, we know what it means. We 'invented' the word, persay. As for LC, did HE know what it means? I dunno. He probably had a vague idea of what he was calling BC, but what does it matter? As long as it was insulting. ;) _

3:

_Q: "Why is it the LC has figured out that it is better to confess his feelings to Rosette and keep Magdalene a memory but BC hasn't? They were once in unison, no?" _

A: Whoever said that it was "better" to confess his feelings? And I don't intend that as a crack against you; I just mean it as "food for thought" for upcoming chapters.

In any case, it's not that he's "figured it out," Little Chrono is just working on the emotions he received in the split. Like this chapter explained, all of Chrono's feelings were torn in two—so essentially, whenever the Chronos fight, it's like one of Chrono's internal arguments with himself personified. Part of him knows that it's better to move on, but the other part of him doesn't want to. Does that make sense?

Next Chapter: "Perhaps Satella was right. . . perhaps Chrono's not really here at all."

_Finally, I have a question for all of you—_

_Anyone gonna be going to the Anime Central convention this year? I will be—so keep an eye out! I'll be cosplaying as Rosette again. XD I hope to see some of you guys there! _

Love ya! (huggles)


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